The Braceville Fire Department serves a 1.5-square-mile area within Grundy County, Illinois. The department operates from a single fire station and is staffed entirely by 17 dedicated volunteers who respond to both fire and emergency medical services (EMS) calls. Their fleet includes two fire engines, one aerial ladder truck, a brush unit, an ambulance, and a Chevrolet Suburban. Notably, the ambulance and one of the engines were previously used by the Braidwood Fire Department, while the ladder truck was originally owned by the Lyondell/Equistar facility.
The ladder truck is a 1979 Seagrave chassis with a 54-foot Squrt platform, built by Pierce. It carries 500 gallons of water and 500 gallons of foam, making it well-equipped for a variety of incidents. One of the engines, known as the "X-Braidwood" engine, was manufactured in 1982 by Alexis on a Hendrickson 1871-C chassis. The "C" in the model designation stands for a contour cab, which was a popular design at the time. Hendrickson also offered a square cab version called the "S" model during that era.
This engine is set to be replaced in December with a new Spartan Metro Star Darley pumper. The new unit will feature a powerful light tower and a full set of Genesis Rescue tools mounted at the front bumper and rear of the vehicle, significantly enhancing their rescue capabilities. The department is continuously upgrading its equipment to better serve the community and improve response times.
Thanks to Karl Klotz for providing the images and detailed information about the department’s equipment.
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