Work on Tomahawk Fire Department’s new Engine 3 complete

TOMAHAWK – Last month, work on the Tomahawk Fire Department (TFD)’s new truck was completed.

TFD’s new Engine 3, an enclosed top-mount pumper, was built by Custom Fire Apparatus Inc., an Osceola-based company.

According to Custom Fire, the truck was built on a Spartan Gladiator chassis and features a 1,500-gallon-per-minute Waterous pump, a 1,250-gallon water tank and a 525-horsepower Cummins engine, as well as seating for six.

TFD also included “plenty of thoughtful storage and equipment solutions designed around how their department operates,” Custom Fire added.

The new truck replaces TFD’s previous Engine 3, which was built in 2003 and had begun to see rising maintenance and repair costs in recent years.

In Jan. 2025, the City of Tomahawk Common Council gave TFD the go-ahead to order the new engine from Custom Fire after reviewing bids from the company and Pierce Manufacturing, an Appleton firm. With each company submitting similarly priced bids, the council chose to go with Custom Fire, citing a shorter estimated wait time of 20 to 24 months, compared to the 50- to 52-month estimation from Pierce. The cost for the new engine came in at just over $1 million.

The truck is expected to join TFD’s fleet in service in the near future.

“Thank you to the Tomahawk Fire Department for trusting Custom Fire with your new Engine 3,” Custom Fire stated. “We appreciate the opportunity to build for your department and hope it serves the Tomahawk community for many years to come. Welcome home, Engine 3!”

TFD held an Open House on Saturday, Oct. 10, where the new truck and the rest of the department’s equipment were on display. The event also featured a landing at the fire station on N. Tomahawk Ave. by Life Link III, a children’s obstacle course, a bake sale, raffles, historical displays and more.