A fire department committee began putting together bid specifications in 2007 before the Great Recession. The city spent $420,000 last year to buy the 2008 Pierce Quantum 105-foot aerial ladder truck. Northern Illinois University contributed $275,000 as part of its fire service agreement with the city.

Fire officials spent more than a year searching for a used truck before finding a suitable one in Florida. The new truck replaces a 1990 Grumman aerial ladder truck, nicknamed “Big John."

"The fire department ladder truck is one of the most identifiable vehicles in the city's fleet," Fire Chief Eric Hicks said. "It's at every fire in the city. ... The truck also represents us at community functions and parades. Most of the kids who grew up in DeKalb know who Big John is, since he's been serving the community for over 25 years. We hope 'Rip' Roaring has the same effect."

 It is now used in parades and fire prevention events, but is in need of a new coat of paint as well as ladder repairs.

Huntsville Fire Chief Tom Grisham says the Huntsville community donated all the items up for grabs, ranging from guns to coolers to chainsaws, and the support does not surprise him.

"They just about stand behind anything that is worthy," Grisham said, "and I think they see the cause here and everybody in the world has seen this firetruck going up and down the roads in parades. And every kid in Walker County has road on it one time or another. And who doesn't like firetrucks? Everyone likes firetrucks!"

The truck is currently being built in Wisconsin, with a price tag just under $1 million.

Chief Larry Wright says it'll help fight hard to reach fires.

"It will be used in case of fires at Walmart, the Campbell plant, Kimberly Clark. It is called an elevated stream. It will give us the ability to get up and get the water on the roof of the structure. It can be used on large two story houses that we have issues with trying to place water in the right spot," Wright said.

The City purchased the first motor vehicle for the Fire Department in 1913 to carry hose and small chemical fire extinguishing systems — but from 1870 to 1931, water for firefighting in Canandaigua had been pumped by steam-powered apparatus pulled by horses or by hand. The 1931 American LaFrance pumper was the city’s first fire apparatus to use an internal combustion engine to power both the vehicle and the pump.

Seventy-five years later, there have been minimal changes to the basic design of a fire pumper.

The series of Fire Department history this week in the Messenger Post features the arrival of the American LaFrance, pumper. Also, this week, we pass along information gathered from Don Ford regarding Ruel Davis of Engine Company No. 1, who was injured in 1857; and John B. Hogan, a paid Fire Driver and a member of the Erina Hose Company, who died in the Niagara Street firehouse after returning from a fire in 1918.

The story of Firefighter Davis’ being seriously injured while returning from a fire in 1857 was reprinted in the May 14 installment of this series – and that it was unknown whether he died from his injuries. During the past week, Don found that Firefighter Davis recovered from his injuries and lived until Sept. 24, 1870. While in search of information on Firefighter Davis, Don came across newspaper accounts of Fire Driver Hogan’s death, which had faded into history until Don’s research.