The Urbana-Polk Township Fire Department serves the city of Urbana and Polk Township, this includes Interstate 380 from mile marker 40 to mile marker 49. They also provide mutual aid for Center Point, Shellsburg, Walker, Vinton, Garrison, Brandon, Rowley, and other departments as needed. All members on the roster are members of the Urbana Polk Township Firefighters Association as well as the Iowa Firefighters Association.
Their fleet includes 2 grass trucks, a main line pumper, and 2 tankers with pumping capabilities.
The department has also restored the very first truck used by the department, a 1948 Ford. Although it’s working days are over, it can still be seen in parades throughout the area.
Their main fundraiser is a delicious pancake breakfast, held in the spring and the fall. For a freewill donation, you can enjoy all-you-can-eat pancakes (regular, buckwheat, blueberry and chocolate chip), ham, sausage, eggs, biscuits and gravy, fruit, hash browns, granola bars, coffee, juice and milk.
Each member of the department must complete 24 hours of training as mandated by the state. Training exercises are conducted during the department’s monthly meetings, and they also perform controlled burns. The fire department celebrates Fire Prevention week in October with visits to CPU schools. The annual awards ceremony is in January. You can also find them volunteering their time for local community events.
The Fire Department maintains a 5 ISO rating. The ISO rating recently dropped from a 6 to a 5. The lower the rating the better. The rating is based on City’s water system, fire hydrants, alarm dispatching and 911 call processing, firefighter training, equipment carried and services provided, turnout per incident, response time, and apparatus capabilities. A lower rating reduces your homeowner’s insurance costs.
There are currently 25 members serving on the department. If you would like more information on the fire department, or how to become a member, please email urbana-polktwpfd@urbanaiowa.com or contact any current member.
Current Officers include:
Chief Trent Kramer
Assistant Chiefs: Brooks Burkhart and Mitch McDonough
Captains: Don Westendorf, Michael McFarlane and Brian Kuhn
EMS Captain Nate Johnson
President: Dakota Vogt
