Keokuk, IA – The Keokuk Fire Department is upgrading its fleet. Fire Chief Mark Wessel says adding a new 100' platform truck will help the department gain access to Keokuk's tallest buildings. He says the apparatus will also make it easier and safer to rescue someone. The city council has agreed to borrow up to $1,300,000 for the new platform truck, a new pumper, and a couple of new police cars. Wessel says the platform truck will arrive in May and could be in use about a month later, after extensive training. He says the designs for the pumper are still being finalized. Wessel says the average age of the city's fleet will soon drop from roughly 20 years old to around 6 years old.
You can hear more with Chief Mark Wessel by clicking on the audio link above.
Additional Information :
* Chief Wessel says this will be the first platform truck ever in operation in Keokuk.
* Keokuk's fleet will remain at four, with a much newer engine moving into reserve status.