Wylie Fire Rescue Of Wylie, Texas Takes Delivery Of Two Rosenbauer Roadrunner Elevated Water Towers

Following their showcase at FDIC International 2024, Wylie Fire Rescue will be receiving and placing into service two new Rosenbauer Roadrunner elevated water towers. These apparatus are quintuple combination pumpers, or quints, featuring a pump, water tank, aerial device, and ground ladders.

Wylie Fire Rescue is a four-station, fully paid department with 98 employees. These two new fire trucks, Quint 141 and 143, will be housed at Station 1 and 3, respectively. The department uses the elevated water tower as the primary response vehicle to best serve its community.

Standalone response vehicles

Brandon Blythe, Wylie Fire Rescue Fire Chief, said, "Three of our stations utilize the 68' Rosenbauer Roadrunner aerial as the primary response apparatus. These trucks are designed and equipped to be standalone response vehicles handling anything from a medical call to a vehicle extrication, to a structure fire."

He adds, "These apparatuses are perfect for our community because they provide ample compartment space, while maintaining a full hose complement, 500 gallons of water, ground ladders, and an aerial device. The pedestal design allows us to maximize compartment space and provides hose beds large enough to carry 1000' of 5" and 300'' and two (2) high-rise loads. Maintaining a small profile that is lighter weight makes the truck handle more like a traditional engine."

Adequate aerial capabilities

Continued support was provided through the local Rosenbauer dealer, DACO

Wylie has been using elevated water towers since 1995 and expanded the fleet with their first Rosenbauer elevated water tower purchase in 1999. Continued support was provided through the local Rosenbauer dealer, DACO.

"This apparatus model may not work for everyone; however, it works well for our community. When arriving on scene we leave nothing to chance and the Rosenbauer elevated water tower is the most versatile. The lighter aerials allow us to utilize the apparatus on all types of responses while maintaining adequate aerial capabilities. Since the apparatus is smaller and lighter, we can minimize wear and tear over time," commented Brandon Blythe.

Collaborated with Wylie Independent School 

The Wylie Fire Department looks forward to continuing the tradition of naming their two new apparatus. Since the 1990s they have collaborated with the Wylie Independent School District.

Brandon Blythe continues, "Each time we get a new apparatus, a picture of the new truck is made into a coloring page and distributed to the surrounding grade levels in our community. The children are asked to color the fire truck, suggest a name, and write on the back why they chose that name. The submitted pictures are reviewed by our department and a name is selected."

He adds, "A ceremony is held to unveil the name at the student’s school whose firetruck name is selected. A small plaque is also placed in the cab of the truck recognizing the child who named it. The ceremony ends with the student riding home from school in the new firetruck he or she named."