Indian River's Ladder Truck Chronicles

The Indian River fire district was a sparsely populated area of rural farmland community with several mobile home communities that served mostly as summer vacation properties for permanent residents of nearby metropolitan areas of Washington, Baltimore, Wilmington, and Philadelphia. In the late 1990s, this trend started to change with more permanent residential communities and structures becoming common place.

As change evolved, the fire company continued to monitor this change and recommend appropriate courses of action to prepare and provide for appropriate fire and rescue emergency services within the Indian River fire district.

In the early 2000s, the fire company was concerned with the growth patterns, changing largely from a manufactured home community to a more permanent residential structure community with residential and commercial complexities necessitating a different apparatus response.

Indian River begun evaluating the pros and cons of a ladder truck.  Late in 2005, Indian River agreed to acquire a used ladder truck to better serve our fire district, acclimate our first responders, and continue evaluating what is best for our everchanging fire district.  Our volunteer firefighters pursued training and certification to operate a ladder truck.

Indian River acquired Christiana’s ladder truck as its first aerial unit and utilized this unit until December 2009 when it was no longer able to be certified and ultimately retired – http://www.irvfc.com/gallery/detail/2850?ss=1  and http://irvfc.com/apparatus/detail/4623.  This 1981 American LaFrance aerial truck did not have any pump or water storage capabilities.

A replacement ladder truck from Doylestown Fire Department was purchased in January 2010 for the fire company to continue serving its fire district - http://irvfc.com/apparatus/detail/4630.  This 1990 Pierce Lance aerial truck did not have any pump or water storage capabilities.  In March 2021, this unit was sold to Crisfield Fire Department - http://irvfc.com/gallery/detail/41594?ss=1  

As the composition of the fire district continues to evolve into a multi-story, multi-residential structural complex with apartment buildings, larger commercial structures, multi-story residential communities and others, the fire company resources need to continue adapting as well.

In 2021, Indian River acquired a new replacement aerial truck from Pierce and this 2021 Pierce Ascendant tower did have a pump and 300 gallon water storage capabilities - http://irvfc.com/apparatus/detail/42364 , http://irvfc.com/gallery/detail/41527, and http://irvfc.com/gallery/detail/42025?ss=1

In closing, these apparatus enhancements would not be possible without the continued patronage and assistance of our corporate and community residents.  Thank you for your continued support.