New chassis waits out winter at fire station

Work on the tanker is expected to finish in 2025.

The chassis of Tanker 740 will spend the winter at Graafschap Fire Department station, 4534 60th St., under completion in the spring. Photo by Dave Grumney

The chassis for Graafschap Fire Department’s new tanker is waiting out the winter under the watchful eyes of firefighters before work on the truck is finished in the spring.

“Recently, the chassis was sent back to Freightliner from Spencer Manufacturing for some punch-out items on the chassis. After those items were completed, a rep from Freightliner brought it to the fire station,” said Dave Grumney, Captain, Training & Health/Safety for the Graafschap Fire Department in a Dec. 4, 2024, post on the fire department’s website.

The station is at 4534 60th St.

The truck’s designation is Tanker 740.

“Instead of having the chassis sit outside at Spencer, our staff made room for it to sit inside the bay at the station,” Grumney said. “After a wash-down and towel-dry, 740 is set for a nice, low-key winter. A few of the retirees have even filtered in to take a look.”

Retired Graafschap Fire Department members Cal Haverdink and Wayne VanOmmen check out the chassis of Tanker 740 at the Graafschap Fire Department station, 4534 60th St. Photo by Dave Grumney

The new truck is on the production schedule and will be taken to Spencer Manufacturing, 165 Veterans Blvd., South Haven, when it is ready for it in the spring, he said.

The process to acquire the truck began in 2023. The chassis was paid for from current funds instead of financing, Grumney said. The remainder of the build will be financed once the truck is delivered in 2025. The total cost of the apparatus was $578,000.

Graafschap Fire Department responds to fire, medical and other emergency situations in all of Laketown Township and part of Fillmore Township, and assists other agencies as needed.