Oskaloosa Fire Department Unveils New Pumper Truck
The old Oskaloosa Engine 74 (left) sits next to the new Engine 74 in front of the Oskaloosa Fire Station on Friday morning.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – The Oskaloosa Fire Department has been seeing many changes recently.
On the outside, work crews are busy adding on to the century old structure, while inside an older generation of firefighters have been passing the baton to a new generation.
That new generation of firefighters just got a new apparatus for the city that should see them through their careers at Oskaloosa Fire.
A 2016 Rosenbauer Pumper Tanker was recently brought home to the station. It’s built upon a Freightliner chassis and holds 2000 gallons of water, an increase of 1000 gallons over the tanker it replaces.
The new Engine 74 will be replacing the 1986 Engine 74, which served the Oskaloosa Fire Department for 30 years.
The new pumper will take its place as the first-out apparatus when the call for help is received. “The intent of design for the new truck is to provide the most versatile city and rural truck possible for the most value. We believe this has been accomplished by doubling water capacity compared to the old engine, as well as incorporating some other key features.”
Features like pump-and-roll, 1250 gallons-per-minute waterous pump, 6000 watt hydraulic generator, along with many other features, help the new apparatus meet or exceed NFPA 1901 for Type 1 Engine.
You won’t find the new engine parked inside the historic fire station, the modern design makes the new engine about 6 inches taller than the door opening will allow, but will easily fit within the new structure when it’s completed in the near future.
The old engine will go on to the Oskaloosa Public Works Department, where it will continue to serve the community.
The City of Oskaloosa will host a ground breaking ceremony on April 22, 2016 at 9am for the new fire station and remodel project, a first for the City of Oskaloosa in the past 117 years.
All attending should meet at the overhead doors of the current fire station located on 2nd Avenue East.
