We previously mentioned that the Countryside Fire Protection District in Lake County recently acquired a new IHC/US Tanker, and that the fate of their old 1988 Pierce Dash tanker was unclear. Now, thanks to a recent discovery by Dennis McGuire, Jr., we have some clarity on what happened to that older unit.
Dennis came across an article in the Libertyville edition of the TribLocal, which can be viewed here with accompanying photos. The article explains how the old tanker was transferred to the Libertyville Fire Department at no cost.
Countryside gives Libertyville Fire Department used tanker for free
By Amy Alderman, TribLocal reporter
The Countryside Fire Protection District in Vernon Hills is donating a 1988 water tender—capable of carrying 2,500 gallons of water—to the Libertyville Fire Department. This move is part of a third mutual aid agreement between the two departments, which has been in place for five years.
In exchange for the used truck, Libertyville will continue to provide assistance during emergency calls involving Countryside. For Libertyville, this is a long-awaited addition. “We never had a water tender before,†said Fire Chief Rich Carani. “But our district covers areas like Mettawa and Green Oaks, where many locations still don’t have fire hydrants—especially along the northern and southeastern borders. A water tender is definitely needed, but we couldn’t justify buying a new one.â€
Libertyville has relied on neighboring districts’ water tenders about six to ten times a year on average. Meanwhile, those same neighbors often assist each other with over 300 incidents annually, including fires, car accidents, and rescues.
While the old tankers are being given away for free, there are still maintenance costs involved. Carani estimates around $1,000 per year in upkeep for the new unit.
Countryside’s Fire Chief Jeff Steingart explained that after purchasing a new $250,000 water tender, they didn’t even consider selling the old one. “We probably would have sold it, but this agreement made more sense,†he said. The idea was first discussed about a year ago when Countryside was looking for a new unit.
“We talked about sharing resources,†Steingart added. “They use it for first response, and we keep it as a backup.â€
This kind of collaboration isn’t new. Carani noted that over the years, Libertyville and its neighbors have regularly helped each other respond to emergencies in specific areas.
In 2005, Libertyville purchased a squad truck that is also used by Countryside through a mutual aid agreement. In 2007, both departments agreed to respond to every structure fire in each other’s jurisdictions.
Steingart pointed to a recent barn fire in Wauconda as an example of how these partnerships work. When flames spread across three barns due to high winds, 30 fire protection districts responded, and 14 water tenders were pooled together to extinguish the fire. No people or animals were harmed.
“These mutual aid agreements give us the resources we need without worrying about boundaries—so the closest station can always respond,†Steingart said.
Editor's note: Once the tanker is re-lettered for Libertyville, we hope to take photos and add them to the website, showing where the unit is stationed.
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