Ainsworth adds off-road vehicle to fire fleet

AINSWORTH — The Ainsworth Fire Department has added a UTV to its fleet. The vehicle is equipped with a skid unit, as well as a water tank and pump, additions Fire Chief Waylon Schultz said would make it pivotal in rural rescues and fighting grass fires.

“Especially in the spring months when it’s really wet outside, a lot of the times our fire trucks can’t drive out in the field in soft spots because they’re too heavy and will get stuck,” he said. “UTVs are lighter, so you can drive in the wet areas without getting stuck, and put the fire out.”

Schultz said the equipment was much-needed. While the department typically handles 3-4 grass fires annually, he said it responded to as many as 26 in one particularly dry year. Previously, the department responded to those with one pickup truck, and otherwise on foot.

“In the past, we would have to use leaf blowers or flappers, which is a rubber mat on the end of a handle that we used to hit the ground and hit the fire out,” he said. “Sometimes we couldn’t get (the pickup) to places we needed to, and this also gives us another option so we can have more equipment out in the field at the same time to put the fire out faster.”

The $19,500 addition to the department was community-funded by the Washington County Riverboat Foundation grant, a donation from family and friends in memory of Mike Wood, a Walmart Foundation grant and fireworks sales. Schultz said he was grateful for the backing.

“We can't thank everyone enough for all their efforts towards our project,” he said.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com