The Galesburg Fire Department has added some new wheels to its fleet. The new Engine #54 arrived Wednesday, January 9th morning at Central Fire Station. In October of 2017, Route 41 between Galesburg and Abingdon had been under construction for months for resurfacing work. On Thursday, October 12th that year, the Galesburg Fire Department was responding to a pair of accidents on 41. The combination of a new type of seal coat being tested by the construction company and a light drizzle throughout the day caused the road to become very slippery – especially the stretch on 41 between Monmouth Boulevard and County 10. While responding to the call, a spare truck used by GFD had rolled over into the ditch and was considered to be a total loss. In a statement, Galesburg Fire Chief Tom Simkins describes the new truck as the Swiss army knife of the fire service. The 78-foot versatile ladder truck has capabilities that are a mix of a pumper, ladder, and rescue truck. The damaged truck was a 1988 with a 55-foot ladder. In the release, Simkins added, “thanks for the support…in the acquisition in the new truck, built locally and funded primarily through the insurance carrier.” And “feel free to stop by Central anytime to see the latest addition to the fleet.”
