With 12 new fire fleet in operation and four more expected to be in operation by the end of the year, the Tulsa Fire Department (TFD) is now better equipped to serve Tulsans and maintain its Class 1 ISO Rating.

Recently put into service, TFD now has eight new engines, three new ladders, and one new hazmat vehicle. By the end of the year, TFD will have four additional engines and a ladder truck.

The fire department didn’t buy any new apparatuses from roughly 2007 to 2018, according to a report by publicradiotulsa.org.

“For decades, the level of investment for our Tulsa Fire Department fleet wasn’t meeting the growing needs of our city and of our fire department,” Mayor G.T. Bynum said. “Until recently, our firefighters have been operating multiple fire trucks and engines that were well past their lifespans. Several years ago, we put our heads together about addressing these needs and I am incredibly grateful for Tulsans supporting this investment and I’m grateful that we have a Fire Chief in Michael Baker who prioritized the safety of the Department.”

Having a modernized fire fleet helps the Tulsa Fire Department maintain its Class 1 Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating, which makes Tulsa safer and helps Tulsans lower their homeowner’s insurance premiums because of the lower fire risk in the community.

“I am incredibly thankful for Tulsans who overwhelmingly voted to help fund the modernization of our fleet, and I’m thankful for their patience and the patience of our firefighters as we’ve waited for these new trucks to come in. These new trucks are a point of pride for our fire department, and our firefighters will be passionate about caring for them for years to come.”

Because each fire truck is customized specifically for the needs of the Tulsa Fire Department, the cost of the equipment represents the second-largest operating cost for TFD outside of personnel expenses. From design to purchase, the time that it takes to get an engine to Tulsa is nearly three years. All fire trucks were paid for from a combination of voter-approved Improve Our Tulsa 2 funds, American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, and FEMA-awarded SAFER grant funds.

With the recent modernization of the fleet, the City of Tulsa is better equipped than ever to respond to a wide range of emergencies and can better ensure the safety and security of Tulsans for years to come.

For more information about the Tulsa Fire Department, visit www.cityoftulsa.org/fire

By Ron Heal

Donna Braun and her family were invited to ride in this year’s Belleville, Illinois Labor Day Parade. Adam Melone, Treasurer of IAFF Local 53, Belleville Fire Department, extended the invitation. They would be riding in a 1979 Chevrolet C30 Towers Rescue Model 60-U. The squad had been in service with the fire department from 1979 until 2008.

Jim Braun, a St. Louis resident, purchased the retired rescue squad in 2008 as a private collector. Jim had grown up in Belleville and was familiar with the rescue squad. Over the years, Jim also purchased a 1969 Seagrave pumper that served Belleville, and a 1949 Mack pumper from Alton, Illinois. The Belleville squad reminded Jim and his sons Michael and David of the rescue squad featured in the old TV series EMERGENCY! that they watched so many times on VHS tapes.

While his pumpers were his main parade pieces, the rescue squad made a few parades and was a favorite vehicle to pick up ice cream or pick up the boys after school. Jim kept all his apparatus in the best condition that he could. As apparatus enthusiasts and collectors know, maintenance and storage are always challenges.

This May, Jim died unexpectedly at far too young an age. In the months that have followed, his wife Donna has had to make many decisions on so much of Jim’s quality firematic collection – including the two Belleville units. Rather than put the rescue squad up for sale, Donna offered the rig to the Belleville Fire Department to have the rig “come home”.

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