News : Benton-Canton Shellsburg Fire Department adds New Truck

Benton-Canton Shellsburg Fire Department adds new truck to its fleet

Earlier this month the Benton-Canton Shellsburg Fire Department shared some exciting news, the addition of a new truck to its response fleet. The new Shellsburg 650 met its new home. 

The truck was built by Toyne in Breda, Iowa specifically for the needs of the department. The truck will be the department's mutual aid truck and will carry 300 more gallons of water for a total of 2,100 gallons. This truck also has more room for manpower and tools than the current tanker.

The department has been fundraising to cover the cost of the truck and are still raising funds to equip it with hose and tools. The cost of the truck alone was $595,000. The department tries to rotate the larger trucks every 20 to 25 years, the truck that this one is replacing is a 1999 model and did not pass its annual pump certification test.

Members and their families participated in the push-in ceremony, where members push the new equipment into the bay. This tradition dates back to the 1800s when crews would have to detach the horses and push the carriage back into the station after returning from a call.

The department said, "We are very excited about this new apparatus and being able to better serve our community."