Jacksonville fire department unveils new 100-foot ladder truck

Jacksonville put its new 100-foot ladder truck into service after firefighters trained on it the week before, adding a modern aerial platform for rescues and fire attack across the city and Morgan County. The 2026 Pierce truck from Wisconsin was shown off at a commissioning ceremony and open house on June 22, where the city described it as Jacksonville’s “newest and largest fire apparatus.”

The truck gives firefighters a higher reach for buildings and other elevated targets that are harder to handle with ground equipment. Pierce Manufacturing rates the 100-foot heavy-duty low-profile steel aerial ladder for up to 750 pounds at the tip, with a waterway capable of flowing up to 1,500 gallons per minute, a combination that supports both rescue work and elevated fire streams.

That capability matters in a department that answers about 3,000 calls a year and covers Jacksonville’s 12 square miles, along with all of Morgan County through mutual aid agreements. The fire department’s workload includes fire, hazmat, ALS EMS and technician-level rescue calls, including vertical, confined space, trench and vehicle rescue, all of which can benefit from an aerial apparatus with greater height and water delivery.

The new truck also marks a rare purchase for the city. WLDS reported that it was only the second ladder truck Jacksonville had bought since the turn of the century, and earlier in June the city declared its 2002 Pierce 100-foot ladder truck surplus. South Jacksonville was considering buying that older truck for $200,000, underscoring how long ladder trucks stay in service and how significant a replacement can be.

Fire Chief Matt Summers said three rings of the bell would symbolize “honoring the past, celebrating the present and committing to the future” during the commissioning. With training complete and the truck already in service, Jacksonville now has a current-generation aerial unit that expands its reach for fires, rescues and other emergencies in the city and across the county.