The Cayce (SC) Fire Department recently christened its new Tower 501.

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“With this new ladder truck we are better equipped to handle a variety of emergencies, and meet the needs of our growing population and infrastructure,” the city writes on Facebook.

“Thank you to Fire Chief Steven Bullard, our Cayce staff and Mayor Elise Partin, and our members of Cayce City Council!”

By Bill Adams

I don’t know who Gordon Nord, Jr. is. I don’t recall ever meeting him. If I ever do meet him, I’d like to buy him a cup of coffee or an adult beverage. I owe him. This story began maybe 10 or 15 years ago. It was rehashed over the years and was rejuvenated after the recent Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) in Indianapolis. It was finalized last week.

Step Ladders

Over morning coffee years ago, the Raisin Squad debated carrying step ladders on pumpers. A couple of us recalled a photo of a step ladder lashed, tied, or bungee-corded to the hard sleeves hanging on the side of a pumper. It wasn’t one of those National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) compliant, fancy combination ladders. You know the type—the ones that can do everything like a Swiss Army knife, including regularly pinching your fingers.

The one I’m talking about was a five- or six-foot wooden step ladder just like the kind you have in your home to access a ceiling light, or hang a picture, or use outside to replace storm windows with screens. Half of us thought carrying a step ladder was a great idea; the other half obviously didn’t do chores. Anyhow, we beat the topic to death and eventually dropped it.

Years later, the geezers who were still around and could still remember stuff, laughed themselves silly when a local fire department purchased a new rescue truck. They had to carry a small step ladder just to reach the stuff stored up high in the compartments. One geezer defended it saying: “I saw them use that ladder at a couple calls. I think one time was to replace a smoke detector battery.”

The Wall Ladder

After the recent FDIC, I came back with an Alcolite ladder catalog that showed a six-foot “pumper wall ladder” on page 3. The catalog stated, “it fits in the same space as a backboard” and it is the “prefect size for accessing first-floor windows.” Some raisins agre

Toyne—Lansing (IA) Rural Fire & Rescue mini-rescue. Chevy Silverado MD 4-door 4×4 cab and chassis; Duramax 6.6L diesel 350-hp engine; seating for five firefighters; painted stainless steel 12-foot, walk-around rescue body; Toyne custom slide-out shelves; Whelen M9 LED scene lighting. Dealer: Toyne Inc., Breda, IA.

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Manheim Township Fire Rescue has officially unveiled its fourth fire station. The new station (202) is located at 600 Richmond Drive in Richmond Square, servicing the northwest/western parts of Manheim Township.

Station 202 will serve as the main headquarters for around the clock emergency response from one single engine and shifts of three firefighter units.

This location was picked from the northwest area of Manheim Township due to its central location to the area it wants to serve. The primary response area is north of Granite Run Drive to the Township border, north of Erb’s Quarry Road, and between the western Township boundary east to roughly Blossom Hill and Weaver Road.

Though it’s the smallest station in Manheim Township, the new location will instantly pay major dividends for the community in this region. Response times are expected to be reduced by 50% when responding from the Richmond Square station, as opposed to the East Oregon Road station and Fruitville Pike station.

“The opening of the Richmond Square Fire Rescue station will provide a significant increase in our ability to provide more timely service to this area of Manheim Township,” said Manheim Township Manager, Rick Kane. “With lower response times we expect a better outcome for residents when they are having a fire or medical emergency.”

The site selected was a commercial property that had been vacant for almost 3 years, which allowed for MT Fire Rescue to re-purpose a building rather than build a new one, or use open land to build new. The building itself was the appropriate size, and its location allowed for the single apparatus bay to be added to the existing footprint without major construction work.

An official open house to welcome the community is tentatively planned for spring, dependent on weather and any COVID restrictions at that time.