WAUSAU, Wis. (WJFW)- The Wausau Fire Department held a ceremony Wednesday morning to show off their newest addition to their fleet of fire fighting equipment. 

The Ladder 2 truck will be stationed at the department's west side building, which Deputy Chief Jeremy Kopp says will reduce response time to indicants on that side of the city.

"To have the response coming from the other side of town with the ladder truck, is a little bit delayed now. With two ladders in service we can get one on scene quicker and have a tool that's a lot easier for rescues to maneuver around," said Kopp. 

He continued saying he believes the new ladder will be critical on the west side because that is where many of Wausau's industrial buildings are located. 

"I think this tool is something that's going to serve us very well, as well as the citizens of Wausau," said Kopp. 

Previously in 2021, the old west side ladder truck was decommissioned due to safety concerns. That truck was built in 1984.  Deputy Chief Kopp continued saying he believes the new ladder is a step up from the former ladder in not only safety but also technology. 

"The safety features, the alarms when you're getting close to things, just taking out human error as well as mechanical error is just a phenomenal piece of equipment. 

Following Wednesday's ceremony, the new ladder was put into full time service.

Send story ideas to kpozorski@wjfw.com

Kyle is a Wisconsin native, Eagle Scout, and grateful to be a part of the Newswatch 12 team as a reporter. Kyle is most well-known by viewers for his Blue-Collar Wisconsin stories, which highlight skilled workers in the Northwoods.

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