Traer Fire Department’s aerial ladder truck pictured inside the department’s new building on June 24. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

TRAER — The Traer Fire Department recently hosted an open house in their brand new building located adjacent to the main fire station in an effort to showcase the addition to the community.

The department’s desire and need for a new building with more space were heightened significantly in February of 2022 following the donation of a 55-foot aerial ladder truck, a truck so large it did not fit inside the original building.

Prior to the donation from David Sires of Cedar Falls, the Traer fleet did not contain an aerial ladder truck – only pumpers with ground ladders up to 35 feet.

True Builders Excavating, LLC broke ground on the new addition in an empty city lot located due east of the main fire station late last fall. Construction continued off and on for most of the winter and into this past spring.

The Traer-based construction company sponsored the open house on June 24 featuring pork chops on a stick grilled up by the Tama County Pork Producers with proceeds benefiting Traer Fire.

Traer Fire Department’s new addition, left, pictured during the department’s open house held on June 24. The new building was constructed on an empty city lot adjacent to the main fire station and is connected by a hallway. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

The new building features three bays and is connected to the main station house by way of a hallway built near the front.

Six trucks in all – including the new aerial – have now been moved into the new building, leaving behind the grass trucks and the department’s 1912 antique truck in the main station house.

As of June 24, the only tasks that remained were to paint the lines on the cement floor and install ventilation components, according to Chief Tyler Sell.

The new building is located between City Hall and the main station house which is located at 639 Second Street in downtown Traer.

Traer Fire Chief Tyler Sell walks into his department’s new building on June 24. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

A grass truck is visible inside the main fire station through the new addition’s connecting hallway on June 24. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON