 |  |  | | The Riceville Fire Department�s new tanker before (above) and after (top) almost two years of hard work. The 5,000-gallon tanker is now ready to be put into service. | |
Fire Department puts 'new' tanker into service
The Riceville Fire Department is putting its newest vehicle, a tanker obtained in a deal with the Department of Natural Resources' Forestry Department, into service after two years of hard work.
With the new tanker, which holds 5,000 gallons of water, the Fire Department will be able to triple the amount of water it can take out on a call. Previously, the Fire Department could carry 2,500 gallons. Now, if necessary, they can bring 7,500 gallons of water to a fire call.
"The truck is DNR-owned," Fire Chief Lyle Eastman explained, "but the Fire Department has lifetime use of it."
The Fire Department must also provide liability insurance for the truck.
Had the Fire Department purchased a new truck, the expense would have reached at least $150,000. Work on the truck was done at the elevator shop and at Dean Eastman's shop. The truck is a diesel-automatic.
The Fire Department first obtained the tanker in April 2007. Since then, many improvements have been made to ensure that the truck is suitable for service. According to Eastman, the truck's tank was moved ahead, new mounts were added, a water fill was added, a quick dump was mounted in the back of the truck, and a 3,500-gallon portable tank was added. The portable tank was donated by workers at McNeilus.
Once the work on the truck was done, it was sent away to be painted. The end result is a bright red truck with an American flag and an eagle painted on the side, along with the words "Riceville Fire Dept." in proud, yellow print. It is certainly a vehicle that the people of Riceville, and the Fire Department can be very proud of.
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