Three Lakes firefighters gifted a ladder truck

Thanks to the generosity of a fire district in Round Lake, Ill., the Three Lakes Fire Department recently replaced its outdated 1988 ladder truck with a newer and more impressive piece of fire-fighting equipment — free of charge.
That’s the word from Fire Chief Bob Canada, who trekked to Round Lake two months ago with fellow firefighters to inspect and potentially pick up a ladder truck taken out of service by the Round Lake Fire District.
The district’s board had made it known in firefighting circles that they were decommissioning a truck that could be donated to a department that needed it, perfect timing for a Three Lakes crew that had recently taken its 36-year-old unit out of service.
“We thought we were going to lose that fire-fighting tool,” said Canada. “It’s still hard to believe that this 1998 ladder truck became available at the same time, and that they were willing to give it to us.”
Canada said the department had been looking at a 2006 ladder truck that was priced at $350,000, far more than they could afford. That price tag was equal to the last new main engine they purchased years ago.
“This ladder truck is not only 10 years newer, but it has a higher weight capacity that includes a platform at the top of the ladder, which goes up a maximum 102 feet,” he said. “Our previous truck could only handle a single firefighter at the top with a single water gun. This truck has two guns on the platform.”
Fortunately, the department’s modern firehouse had 12-foot doors, giving them a couple of inches of leeway in fitting the 1998 ladder truck inside.
Several firefighters met at the firehouse to get photos of the new equipment recently and Devon Kirby, one of the crew that went to Illinois to inspect and pick up the “new” ladder truck, said the treatment they received was incredible.
“We offered to take them out for lunch in appreciation for their donation and they said no way, we are taking you out for lunch,” said Kirby. “It was quite a feeling, being part of a fire-fighting fraternity where people care so much about helping others.”
As the department envisioned making the new equipment its own, along came the Three Lakes Tavern League with a $1,000 donation to get new vinyl graphics on the truck.
Canada said they are planning some other visual upgrades to make the ladder truck more uniform in appearance with the rest of their equipment.
Three Lakes was the second department in Oneida County to get a ladder truck in 1988, when developers of the New Northernaire were required by the county, as part of its building permits, to provide the fire department with equipment capable of fighting a fire on a complex that was 35 feet in height.
Canada said the only other department in the county with a ladder truck at the time was Rhinelander. Since then, he said they’ve become more popular and several other Oneida departments utilize them, including Minocqua, Woodruff and Pelican Lake.
He said Three Lakes is part of the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS), which has all area departments working together to provide equipment and manpower whenever and wherever it is needed.
“We’re still pretty shocked about the way it all went down,” said Canada, “and very much appreciative of the generosity the Round Lake Fire District has shown.”