When I stopped for coffee the other morning, the Raisin Squad had just finished solving the day’s major problems – out of control school taxes, biased TV news commentators, too many pot holes in the streets, and no more senior citizen discounts at local restaurants.
Seeking a new target, one asked me why I always criticize old people in the fire service. I replied, I can because I am one and besides just mentioning old age isn’t criticizing. Age is a contentious fact of life that many volunteer departments cannot or will not address. I made a mental note to write a piece later about old people serving as firefighters. Squad members are hypocrites. Most of us are white-haired raisins ranging from our mid-60s to almost 80. Included are former chiefs and even some semiactive (noninterior qualified) members. I always say old timers tell tall tales, stretch the truth, or outright lie so we have to prove half the stuff we’re saying. The proof can be found in photographs, newspaper clippings, or verbal substantiation by at least two people not yet collecting social security. Photographs work best.
Skinnyisms
One morning we were refighting some of the fires we’d been to. As usual, refought fires are quickly extinguished right at the table without anyone breaking a sweat, getting wet, dirty, or overly tired. It happens every time the stories are retold – especially when enhancing, stretching, or trying to remember the facts. I talked about one fire where the white coat at a large deuce-and-a-half wood frame said at the department critique afterwards that, “It was a small fire in the attic that damn near blossomed before the roof got opened.” One geezer said that chief sounded like Skinny. It was.
Ten years ago, I wrote about Skinny and his unique methods of communication: (https://www.fireapparatusmagazine.com/fire-apparatus/cantankerous-wisdom-skinnyisms-and-quahoggers/). A couple days later I found two photographs from the fire and showed them to the Squad holding court at morning coffee. When one geezer asked when the fire was, I said, I thought it was in the mid to late 70s. Another said, “Hell, that was 50 years ago. You can’t remember what you had for supper two nights ago.”
The Fire
You can tell a lot from sequential photographs, however, knowing the “rest of the story” helps prove what you’ve tried to remember. The weekday morning call came in as a structure fire. It was during the era when the department was flush with staff.
Skinny got there first, broke down the front door, ran upstairs, peeked in the attic, slammed the door shut, and bailed out. The best I can recall is that his radio size-up wasn’t much more than, “It’s an attic fire; open the roof!”
The first engine and the quint, both with full crews, pulled in together when Skinny was coming outside. The engine was already laying in per standard operating procedure (SOP). He told them to stretch an inch-and-a-half to the attic but not to open the attic door until it’s vented. Simultaneously, the quint raised the aerial. We brought up a roof ladder, tools, and K-12 saw and started cutting. The rest of the crew started pulling ground ladders.
Photo 1
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Posted: Aug 29, 2025
Delivery of the Month
US FIRE APPARATUS— Yonkers (NY) Fire Department six pumpers. US Fire Apparatus custom cabs and chassis; Cummins L9 450-hp engines; Waterous CMU 1,500-gpm pumps; 500-gallon L-shaped polypropylene water tanks; 3⁄16-inch extruded aluminum bodies. Dealer: US Fire Pump Company, Holden, LA.
KME—Macomb Township Fire Department, Macomb, MI, two Severe Service pumpers. Severe Service LFD cabs and chassis with 10-inch raised roofs; Cummins X12 500-hp engines; Hale Qmax-XS 1,500-gpm pumps; UPF Poly 750-gallon water tanks; 30-gallon foam cells; Hale SmartFOAM 2.1A Class A foam systems; Smart Power 6-kW generators; TFT deck guns. Dealer: Chris Payette, Payette Sales & Service, Grosse Ile, MI.
ROSENBAUER—Jefferson City (MO) Fire Department 100-foot aerial ladder quint. Commander cab and chassis; Cummins X15 600-hp engine; Rosenbauer N110 2,250-gpm pump; UPF Poly 500-gallon water tank; Duo-Safety ground ladders; Rosenbauer EXT HD aluminum body; hot-dipped galvanized painted frame rails. Dealer: Brian Franz, Sentinel Emergency Solutions, St. Louis, MO.
E-ONE—South Williamsport (PA) Fire Department rescue-pumper. Spartan Metro Star cab and chassis with 10-inch raised roof; Cummins X12 500-hp engine; Hale Qmax-XS 1,500-gpm pump; 1,030-gallon polypropylene water tank; extruded aluminum body; Whelen warning and scene light packages. Dealer: Todd Smith, Fire Line Equipment, New Holland, PA.
PIERCE—Peoria (IL) Fire Department 100-foot aerial platform. Velocity 7010 cab and chassis; Cummins X12 500-hp engine; TAK-4 independent front suspension; Duo-Safety ground ladders; red, white, and blue ladder rung lighting. Dealer: Brenden Hurd, MacQueen Emergency, Aurora, IL. (Photo by author.)
SPARTAN EMERGENCY RESPONSE—Austin (TX) Fire Department Star Series pumper. Spartan Gladiator EMFD cab and chassis with 10-inch raised roof; Cummins X15 500-hp engine; Waterous CSU 1,500-gpm pump; 750-gallon polypropylene water tank; 30-gallon foam cell; FoamPro 2002 single-agent foam system. Dealer: Metro Fire Apparatus Specialists, Houston, TX.
SUTPHEN—Ashland (OH) Fire Department 100-foot aerial ladder quint. Monarch cab and chassis; Cummins X12 500-hp engine; Hale Qmax 2,000-gpm pump; UPF Poly 300-gallon water tank; Smart Power 10-kW generator; FRC Spectra and FireTech scene lights. Dealer: Andy Herb, Herb
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Posted: Aug 28, 2025
The Eden Prairie Fire Department officially called five new fire trucks into service during a “push-in” ceremony Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, at Fire Station 1, the department said in a press release.
The new equipment replaces engines that have served the community for 20 years or more, and include three pumpers and two “skeeter” or rescue trucks — all featuring cutting-edge technology and safety enhancements to support the department’s all-hazard emergency response.
The push-in ceremony, which dates to the era of horse-drawn fire wagons, involves firefighters manually pushing the trucks into the vehicle bay — a symbolic act of readiness. The department performed three ceremonial pushes: one to honor the past, one to serve the present, and one to represent the future of fire service in the community.
“These new fire trucks represent a major investment in public safety, and the health and well-being of our firefighters,” said Fire Chief Scott Gerber. “We are proud to welcome them into service in the same tradition that has united firefighters for generations.”
The new engines include several key enhancements:
- Modern safety features such as rollover protection and airbags
- Advanced driving and pumping systems for improved operational efficiency
- Redesigned cabinetry to better store and access emergency medical supplies
- A lower hosebed to reduce physical strain on firefighters
- 360-degree visibility through exterior camera systems
The skeeter trucks are a new addition to the department’s fleet and introduce a more versatile approach to emergency response:
- Designed to enhance response to wildfires and aircraft incidents
- Equipped with pump-and-roll capabilities, allowing water flow to be managed from inside the cab
- Outfitted with a full complement of emergency medical equipment and the latest firefighter safety technology
Originally ordered in 2022, all five trucks were delivered simultaneously due to manufacturer timelines. An additional engine, which was ordered in 2023, will arrive in 2026, and a new ladder truck ordered in 2024 is expected to arrive in 2027.
The decommissioned vehicles will either be traded into the dealer or sold to other fire departments through the city’s asset management process.
“We are grateful to our community for its continued support, which ensures we have the tools we need to protect lives and serve Eden Prairie safely and effectively,” said Gerber.
The post Five New Fire Apparatus ‘A Major Investment’ for MN Fire Department appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.
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