| R & R Fire Truck Repair, Inc. |
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Fire Apparatus Company
In 1955, Donald Smeal bought out a repair shop in Snyder,
Nebraska, his home town, and named his new business Smeal
Implement Co. His plan was to earn a living doing welding repair
work while he experimented and searched for a product that he
could build and sell.
In 1961, the Snyder Farmers Co-op asked Don to design a feed
box with an auger system which they would use to transport
and unload livestock feed to area farmers. After some trial and
error, the bulk feed body was ready.
During this same time period, an area well driller asked Don to
design a machine that could pull the pump from a water well and
replace it. The products that were available to perform this job
had been outdated, as pumps ceased being wind driven and
now were electrical. Don designed a machine that suited the
task perfectly. It was portable, easy to setup and take down,
affordable and of excellent construction. As soon as this
product was on the job, calls started coming in.
In 1963, Snyder Rural Fire Board asked Don to fix a leak in its
fire truck tank. The tank could not be repaired so Don, being a
volunteer firefighter himself and knowing the needs of the
community, offered another arrangement. If the Board would
buy a new chassis, Don would design and build a new fire truck
that would have a portable and a PTO water pump, a 1200 gallon
water tank, a body with an enclosed crew cab and a 42'
hydraulic aerial ladder. This was the first fire truck to have all
these features on one truck. Actually, this was the forerunner of
today's quint, minus only the ground ladder storage.
Soon other communities were requesting that Don bid their fire
trucks and thus began Smeal Fire Apparatus Co. Today, Smeal
Fire Apparatus Co. has 26 dealers throughout the United States
and Canada. It offers a full line of fire fighting apparatus
including aerial ladder platforms at 85' and 100', aerial ladders at
55', 75', 105' and 125' as well as pumpers and tankers.
Smeal is a major competitor in the fire and rescue industry and
has thousands of fire trucks and aerial ladders protecting lives
and property throughout North America. The Smeal companies
are family owned with five of Don and Ardath's children working
in the businesses along with their spouses and their children.
Don did not stray from his roots and built his companies with
folks who have the same values and work ethic as his pioneer
forbearers who settled the Nebraska prairies. Donald died
October 19, 2004. He left his companies in the hands of his
family and his long-term dedicated employees who share the
same commitment to our customers. The Smeal products that
are in service across the continent and around the world are
built with pride and integrity in the heartland of America.
Nebraska, his home town, and named his new business Smeal
Implement Co. His plan was to earn a living doing welding repair
work while he experimented and searched for a product that he
could build and sell.
In 1961, the Snyder Farmers Co-op asked Don to design a feed
box with an auger system which they would use to transport
and unload livestock feed to area farmers. After some trial and
error, the bulk feed body was ready.
During this same time period, an area well driller asked Don to
design a machine that could pull the pump from a water well and
replace it. The products that were available to perform this job
had been outdated, as pumps ceased being wind driven and
now were electrical. Don designed a machine that suited the
task perfectly. It was portable, easy to setup and take down,
affordable and of excellent construction. As soon as this
product was on the job, calls started coming in.
In 1963, Snyder Rural Fire Board asked Don to fix a leak in its
fire truck tank. The tank could not be repaired so Don, being a
volunteer firefighter himself and knowing the needs of the
community, offered another arrangement. If the Board would
buy a new chassis, Don would design and build a new fire truck
that would have a portable and a PTO water pump, a 1200 gallon
water tank, a body with an enclosed crew cab and a 42'
hydraulic aerial ladder. This was the first fire truck to have all
these features on one truck. Actually, this was the forerunner of
today's quint, minus only the ground ladder storage.
Soon other communities were requesting that Don bid their fire
trucks and thus began Smeal Fire Apparatus Co. Today, Smeal
Fire Apparatus Co. has 26 dealers throughout the United States
and Canada. It offers a full line of fire fighting apparatus
including aerial ladder platforms at 85' and 100', aerial ladders at
55', 75', 105' and 125' as well as pumpers and tankers.
Smeal is a major competitor in the fire and rescue industry and
has thousands of fire trucks and aerial ladders protecting lives
and property throughout North America. The Smeal companies
are family owned with five of Don and Ardath's children working
in the businesses along with their spouses and their children.
Don did not stray from his roots and built his companies with
folks who have the same values and work ethic as his pioneer
forbearers who settled the Nebraska prairies. Donald died
October 19, 2004. He left his companies in the hands of his
family and his long-term dedicated employees who share the
same commitment to our customers. The Smeal products that
are in service across the continent and around the world are
built with pride and integrity in the heartland of America.
| The Smeal Story |
| Click on a picture below which will open up the associated brochure. |
