The Township Board approved the purchase of a new pumper truck and building to house the fire department in 1982. The building was erected adjacent to the Township Hall by a contractor and all concrete work, plumping, electrical and heating were installed by the volunteers. The pumper truck was a 1,000 gallon per minute FDM on a Ford chassis and was lime green in color. At that time lime green was considered much more visible and was decided to be used by a majority vote of the firefighters. The pumper truck cost $70,000 at the time of purchase and was put into service on Jan. 1st of 1983. To the left is a picture of the fire departments #1 truck for 20 years.
The next addition to the fleet of vehicles was a five quarter ton weapons carrier that was acquired from the Department of Conservation to be used as a grass fire unit. Even though this vehicle had no roof on it was used for grass fires and to plow snow around the Township buildings for about 10 years, though it was very slow and took several hundred feet to make a circle.
The photo to the right shows this vehicle with its lime green paint and volunteer built water tank, pump and roll bars.
In 1986 a new Ford chassis was purchased and an 1800 gallon stainless steel tank was installed to be used as the first tanker to go to most fire, which allowed the fire department to shuttle water with its two tankers providing a more constant water supply to the pumper trunk at a fire scene. This truck in the photo below is equipt with a portable pump to fill itself or pump water out of a
1 1/2 “ fire hose. This truck sold to Masonville Township in 2010.
In 1989 another new Ford chassis was purchased, this time being a large tandem axle with a 3,500 gallon milk tank to be used as the second tanker. This truck is used to shuttle water to the pumper truck in large quantities for large or prolonged fires. It carries a portable drop tank and is pictured below. Once the large tanker was put into service the first tanker (1968 International) was sold to the Onota Volunteer Fire Department. With the addition of the large tanker the Escanaba Township Fire Department became one of the largest moving water departments in the Upper Peninsula. The department had at this point (1989) 6,200 gallons of moving water between the pumper, two tankers and grass fire trucks.
The improvement and replacement of vehicles continued in 1994 with the purchase on an F-350 Ford chassis to replace the roofless DNR vehicle. The new truck was purchased without a box and the volunteers built and installed a flat rear bed with stainless steel water tank, front bumper, and roll bars as well as aluminum cabinets and deck. This multi use vehicle is used for car and grass fires, lighting up fires scenes and to plow snow around the Fire and Township Halls. The volunteer firemen of the department did such an outstanding job in the fabrication of this vehicl that the department was invited to show it a auto show. It is shown above with its lime green cab and shiny aluminum and stainless steel rear section. The old DNR vehicle was returned when the new truck went into service.
The addition of a 1956 American Lafrance pumper truck was not only used as a parade vehicle as its original intent but became a valued tanker fill truck used at the many water sources in the Township. This vehicle was completely reconditioned and painted by the volunteer and it is shown in the photo to the right. The truck was sold to an Escanaba native who lives in California and is used on his vineyard.
In 2005 the Township purchased a new 1,250 gallon per minute pumper truck with a 6 man cab. It was manufactured by Pierce Manufacturing of Appleton, WI and has proved very convenient for the fire fighters to get into their turnout gear.
The number one truck is a 2005 Pierce Contender with a six man cab. It pumps 1,250 gallons of water per minute, has a small foam tank and carries turnout gear, air packs, lodders, fans etc.
In 2010, the Escanaba Township purchased another new truck. This truck is a tanker manufactured by Pierce of Appleton, Wis., and carries 3,000 gallons of water. This vehicle has a tandem rear axle, 500 gallon per minute pump and a rear discharge valve that can be turned to either side of the truck to empty its water into a portable drop tank. With the addition of this truck, the Escanaba Township Fire Department has a total of 8,500 gallons of moving
water.
The photo to the right is of the first tanker truck ever used by the Escanaba Township Fire Department. The 1982 picture was taken in the new fire hall. This truck was sold to Onota Township in 1989.
The next addition to the fleet of vehicles was a five quarter ton weapons carrier that was acquired from the Department of Conservation to be used as a grass fire unit. Even though this vehicle had no roof on it was used for grass fires and to plow snow around the Township buildings for about 10 years, though it was very slow and took several hundred feet to make a circle.
The new truck was purchased without a box and the volunteers built and installed a flat rear bed with stainless steel water tank, front bumper, and roll bars as well as aluminum cabinets and deck. This multi use vehicle is used for car and grass fires, lighting up fires scenes and to plow snow around the Fire and Township Halls. The volunteer firemen of the department did such an outstanding job in the fabrication of this vehicl that the department was invited to show it a auto show. It is shown above with its lime green cab and shiny aluminum and stainless steel rear section. The old DNR vehicle was returned when the new truck went into service.
The addition of a 1956 American Lafrance pumper truck was not only used as a parade vehicle as its original intent but became a valued tanker fill truck used at the many water sources in the Township. This vehicle was completely reconditioned and painted by the volunteer and it is shown in the photo to the right. The truck was sold to an Escanaba native who lives in California and is used on his vineyard.
In 2010, the Escanaba Township purchased another new truck. This truck is a tanker manufactured by Pierce of Appleton, Wis., and carries 3,000 gallons of water. This vehicle has a tandem rear axle, 500 gallon per minute pump and a rear discharge valve that can be turned to either side of the truck to empty its water into a portable drop tank. With the addition of this truck, the Escanaba Township Fire Department has a total of 8,500 gallons of moving 
