Seymour, IA (July 1, 2021) – In the Iowa town of Seymour, the Seymour Fire Department (SFD) will soon be receiving delivery of their first fully customized Toyne Apparatus in nearly 30 years. This new pumper tanker will be replacing an older Toyne Pumper that has been in service with the department since 1990. The SFD’s Toyne Pumper Tanker will become their first out-vehicle for all structure fires and rescue calls in the communities they serve.

Established in 1910, the SFD has been protecting communities in Wayne County, Iowa, for 111 years. Today, the department has 20 members and manages a fleet of two pumpers, two tankers, two brush trucks, and one medical vehicle. On average, they respond to 80 calls–just for fires alone. Along with answering the call in their community of 700, the department also provides mutual aid to the towns of Plano, Promise City, and beyond. Their new pumper tanker will expand capabilities in meeting fire service needs in those areas.

“We’ve quite enjoyed the process of building this truck with Toyne,” said SFD Fire Chief Ross Merritt. “It’s the department’s first spec’d truck for us since any of the current firefighters have been on the roster.”

SFD’s pumper tanker was built with a bolted stainless steel body and mounted on a Freightliner M2 106 6×4 chassis. The body features customized storage options that are tailored to the department’s needs, such as Toyne custom slide-out shelving and custom under-step storage.

Ready to provide support at the scene of a fire, this Toyne is equipped with a 3,000-gallon UPF tank, a 3,000-gallon Syntex portable tank, a 2,100-gallon Syntex portable tank, and rear slide-in porta-tank storage. The pumper tanker has a 1,250-gallon-per-minute Waterous CSPA PTO pump to move the water as effectively as possible. An on-board Foam Pro 1600 Class-A foam system provides additional fire suppression. When needed, SFD can utilize the apparatus’ on-board Akron Hi-Riser monitor.

“Each time we get to work with the Seymour Fire Department, we are more thankful for teams like theirs,” said Michael Schwabe, President and CEO of Toyne, Inc. “They are a hardworking group of firefighters dedicated to serving their community. We are proud to continue to build quality and fully customized apparatus.”

For more information about the Seymour Fire Department, visit their Facebook page at Facebook.com/SeymourFD.

The Decorah (IA) Volunteer Fire Department is making progress toward a new fire station, reports decorahnewspapers.com. 

Council members recently heard and approved the proposal to contract with Brunton Architect and Engineers of North Mankato (MN) to assist in assessing potential sites. There’s a $2,500 charge per site evaluated, so the Fire Station Committee hopes to narrow the potential sites to a maximum of four.

Related: Video: Drone Assists FD with Ventilation

Originally built in 1959, the Decorah Fire Station has one large bay for trucks and equipment. The second bay was added in 1983. Its cement floor is cracked and falling in, and some areas have settling six to seven inches deep.

The department was assigned the old Kilties building in 2007 to help house extra equipment. There, they have remodeled and added on and are already at maximum capacity. And having equipment at two locations isn’t conducive to fighting fires.

A $1.4 million rear-mount platform aerial was recently put in service by the Sault Ste. Marie (MI) Fire Department.

The 100-foot aerial will replace a 30-year-old 75-foot apparatus, according to a report broadcast by News 9&10.

The new apparatus has controls checked by computer to limit human error, the television station reported.

It’s expected that all firefighters on the department will be trained on its operations and everyone will be able to drive and operate it after lessons have been completed, the station reported.

The new truck is expected to be in the community’s July Fourth parade and in service by the end of next week, according to 9&10 News.  

The fire truck will be in the Fourth of July parade in Sault Ste. Marie Sunday. LaBonte said it should officially be put into service by the end of next week.

Hillsborough (FL) Fire Rescue recently broke ground on its new state-of-the-art Station 45, which aims to provide faster service in Eastern Hillsborough County.

Station 45 will be the headquarters for at least six first responders who will serve the Central Brandon area. The facility will house a fire engine, rescue ambulance, and a battalion chief.

The station will also include cleaning innovations to rid first responders and their gear of cancer-causing contamination.