Thiells Fire Department Retires Long-Serving Ladder Truck After 26 Years of Service

By Rockland Daily Staff

The Thiells Fire Department has announced the retirement of its longtime ladder truck, 26-99, after 26 years of dedicated service to the community. The apparatus will now be passed on to another volunteer fire department, marking the end of an era for the company.

Originally built for the West Point Fire Department, the 1999 KME Aerial Kat entered service in Thiells on April 27, 1999. Compact and highly maneuverable at 40 feet in length and 11 feet 6 inches in height, the truck quickly became a frontline asset. Throughout its decades in service, 26-99 responded to countless emergencies in the Village of Haverstraw and neighboring areas.

The truck featured a 2,000 GPM pump, carried 500 gallons of water, and housed a wide array of essential firefighting tools, earning a reputation as a dependable and versatile piece of equipment for the department.

As Thiells prepares to transition to its next generation of apparatus, officials report that a new ladder truck is expected to arrive in the first quarter of 2026. In the meantime, the West Haverstraw Fire Department will assist by providing their ladder truck, 23-99, through automatic mutual aid for all reported structure fires.