A Different Name on a Dexter Fire Truck

With a little from their friends in Canton, the Dexter Area Fire Department (DAFD) was able to find a fill-in fire truck while theirs were being repaired.

Over the past couple of weeks, some people have probably noticed a different name on the fire truck as it made its way around the Dexter community. The Sun Times News (STN) connected with DAFD Fire Chief Doug Armstrong to ask about this.

“Due to the unfortunate overlap of scheduled maintenance of one fire engine and unplanned repairs on one engine and one tanker, the DAFD experienced a short-term situation with only two fire trucks in service,” Armstrong explained. “DAFD Assistant Chief Steve Gaggi shared our short-term needs with the Canton Fire Department. They responded with a loan of one of their reserve fire engines, a spare truck they use when one of their engines needs service.”

Armstrong said this is a great example of cooperation and mutual aid that fire departments routinely provide one another.

“It is not unusual that situations arise that require more resources than any single department has immediately available,” Armstrong said. “Neighboring fire departments often help each other out in these situations (typically emergency responses) and the engine loan is a great example of this teamwork. We are very grateful to Canton Fire Department Chief Chris Stoecklein for keeping DAFD response ready.”

Armstrong told STN on Oct. 14, the vehicle repairs were underway “and at least one of the engines is expected to be back in service by the end of this week and the Canton engine will be returned.”

Knowing there are other nig changes going on, STN asked about the fire station in the city of Dexter. The fire department moved out of 8140 Main Street station to Dexter City Hall, at 3515 Broad Street, where they set up temporary quarters on Sept. 11.

Armstrong said one fire engine is housed in a temporary garage structure at the west end of the City Hall parking lot and additional apparatus have been moved to the other DAFD fire stations in Webster and Dexter townships. The living quarters and administrative offices were constructed in the City Hall building.

He said construction on the replacement station is expected to begin in November after the old station is demolished.

Armstrong said a large effort was invested by the firefighters to move 70 years of accumulated records and equipment from the aging station.

“The DAFD is excited to upgrade the old station with adequate space for the larger-sized apparatus and additional personnel needed to support the department’s growth over the last seven decades,” Armstrong said. “We appreciate the community support that is making these important enhancements possible.”

Photo: A look at the Canton fire vehicle being used in Dexter. Photo courtesy of the Dexter Area Fire Department