By Chad Koenen

Publisher

Christmas came a little early for the Deer Creek Fire Department. The department purchased a used 1999 Freight liner FL80 pumper/tanker truck to replace an old 1984 tanker. 

Deer Creek Fire Chief Travis Collins said the new truck will be a nice addition to the department, while serving not only as a tanker, but serving as a backup engine. 

“We didn’t really have a good back up engine and now we do,” he said. “It’s a huge upgrade from what we had. The truck we had was getting pretty wore out.”

In order to help pay for the new pumper/tanker the fire department received a $10,000 donation from Wadena State Bank, as well as the Jack and Alvida Browne Family Foundation. The Deer Creek Fire Department also contributed $10,000 towards the purchase of the $95,000 pumper/tanker. 

The largest portion of the funding came from a $50,000 USDA Grant, while the remaining balance was divided between the City of Deer Creek and the townships of Compton, Deer Creek, Inman, Leaf Lake and Oak Valley.

The used pumper/tanker truck will hold 2,100 gallons of water and has a pump on it for regular fires as well. A new pumper/tanker truck could have cost well over $400,000, making the used vehicle a much more affordable option. Collins said if nothing major happens to the pumper/tanker truck it could last the Deer Creek Fire Department another 20 years.  

On average the Deer Creek Fire Department responds to about 80 calls per year, which includes both medical and fire related calls.