WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — The Wausau City Council got up close and personal with two of the city’s newest vehicles on Tuesday.
Fire Cheif Bob Barteck brought Engines 1 and 3 to city hall to show off, and like a proud father, he beamed about them after the meeting.
“We’re hapy to have them here on the streets,” said Barteck. “Our people appreciate the support and getting the tools that they need to do their job. Hopefully we don’t have to come to your front door but if we do, we’ll be prepared.”
The engines replaced the old engines 1 and 3 which operated out of the downtown (Central) and Bridge Street stations, respectively. Barteck says instead of buying a model of the proverbial showroom floor, the department had these custom-made for Wausau’s narrow streets and steep inclines. “Just a super-short turning radius with a really high cramp angle on the front end, short wheelbase, they are built for the hills of this city. We took our time in designing them as little out of service time for maintenance as possible.
“They are much more powerful with a 450 HP Cummins engine. They are powerhouses and they are built for rugged use,” he added.
Wausau Fire Engine 1. MWC photo by Mike Leischner.
On top of the customization, the engines are also outfitted with easier access to parts and elements that may need to be fixed. “Not a lot of ‘fit-and-finish’ in them, but they are built for heavy duty use.”
Barteck says the new engines have already been dubbed “the twins” by his staff and should last the city between 12-15 years.
The other benefit from the new units will be an immediate drop in downtime for maintenance. Barteck says as the new units were being delivered, engine 3 was out with a blown engine in April. “It was really great planning on the Alder’s behalf for allowing us to order them when they did.”
It was also announced on Tuesday that a formal swearing-in ceremony for Barteck, who was named Fire Cheif last week, will be held on July 7th. Barteck’s father, a longtime volunteer firefighter in Owen, will do the honors of pinning the Chief pin on his son’s uniform.
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