BROOKFIELD, Wis – January 3, 2025 – William “Bill” Foster, a pioneer and icon in the fire industry and one of the four founders of Spartan Fire Chassis (formerly Spartan Motors), passed away on Wednesday, January 1, 2025, surrounded by his family.
Mike Virnig, Specialty Vehicles Segment President for REV Group said: “Bill’s impact on the fire industry is immeasurable. He will always be remembered for his contributions, including setting the highest standards for professionalism, continuing training and education, exceptional customer service and dependability. Bill will be missed for his generosity, kindness and being a true gentleman.”
Foster served 27 years as a firefighter with the Delta Township (MI) Fire Department where he held many ranks including Assistant Chief. In 1975, Foster and three fellow engineers established Spartan Motors and built their first chassis for Covington (OH) Fire Department. From 1976, Foster served as a co-founder and Vice President and in 1978 became a Director on the Spartan Motors Board. Foster’s unique insights led to the development of specialized fire apparatus that prioritized safety and efficiency. In addition, Foster founded the annual Fire Truck Training Conference (FTTC) in 1994 to enhance the skills of emergency vehicle technicians (EVT) and help ensure the highest standards in vehicle maintenance and safety. For the last ten years of FTTC, an EVT has been awarded the ‘Bill Foster Award’ for exemplary service.
In recognition of his lifelong contributions, Foster received numerous accolades, including the Jim A. Bland Memorial Award presented at the Southwest E.V.T. Conference and a commemorative chrome fire hydrant at the Charlotte (MI) Fire Department, both in 2008. Foster also received a special award for his 30 years of commitment to Emergency Vehicle Technician training and education from the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA).
Bill Foster’s obituary and funeral details are here: William F. Foster | Estes Leadley Funeral Homes
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About Spartan Emergency Response
Spartan Emergency Response, comprised of REV Group subsidiaries Spartan Fire, LLC, Smeal SFA, LLC, Smeal LTC, LLC and Smeal Holding, LLC, is a North American leader in the emergency response market and offers brands including Spartan Authorized Parts, Spartan Factory Service Centers, Spartan Fire Chassis, Smeal, and Ladder Tower. Spartan Emergency Response vehicles are well known for safety, quality, durability, aftermarket product support, and first-to-market innovation. The company operates facilities in Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Nebraska.
About REV Group, Inc.
REV Group companies are leading designers and manufacturers of specialty vehicles and related aftermarket parts and services, which serve a diversified customer base, primarily in the United States, through two segments: Specialty Vehicles and Recreational Vehicles. The Specialty Vehicles Segment provides customized vehicle solutions for applications, including essential needs for public services (ambulances and fire apparatus) and commercial infrastructure (terminal trucks and industrial sweepers). REV Group’s Recreational Vehicles Segment manufactures a variety of RVs from Class B vans to Class A motorhomes. REV Group’s portfolio is made up of well-established principal vehicle brands, including many of the most recognizable names within their industry. Several of REV Group’s brands pioneered their specialty vehicle product categories and date back more than 50 years. REV Group trades on the NYSE under the symbol REVG. Investors-REVG
Media Contact:
Julie Nuernberg | Senior Director of Marketing & Communications
BRANDON, S.D. – December 17, 2024 – Smeal SFA LLC, a subsidiary of REV Group, Inc., and a leading manufacturer of fire apparatus located in Snyder, NE, is pleased to announce the Pueblo Fire Department in Colorado has taken delivery of a Smeal 125’ Rear Mount Aerial which was sold by Smeal dealer Mile-Hi Fire Apparatus, Inc.
“We were honored to partner with Pueblo Fire Department and Mile-Hi Fire Apparatus in producing this fire apparatus,” said Nick Hummel, director of sales, Spartan Emergency Response. “The 125’ Rear Mount Aerial with its four-section ladder design, 750-pound tip load and 13’ short jacking capability is a great addition to Pueblo’s fleet that will help it to better serve its residents and community.”
Key features of the Smeal 125’ Rear Mount Aerial include:
Spartan Gladiator chassis
Cummins X15 565 HP engine
LH Mid Cab EMS Locked Compartment accessible from outside/inside
Large Transverse compartment with roll-out tool storage each side
Street and Curbside Receiver for 9,000 lb. winch for technical rescues
Blue Rung Lights
445 cubic feet of compartment storage
Custom striping to represent Pueblo’s Military Veterans
Believed to be the tallest aerial in Colorado, this apparatus expands the department’s response package, according to Fire Chief Barbara Huber. “It allows us to have a bigger reach for some of our high rises, and also allows us, for rescue purposes along the river, to be able to reach certain things,” Huber said. “So, it creates a diverse response for us.”
For more information, visit https://spartaner.com/brands/smeal/.
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About Spartan Emergency Response
Spartan Emergency Response, comprised of REV Group subsidiaries Spartan Fire, LLC, Smeal SFA, LLC, Smeal LTC, LLC and Smeal Holding, LLC, is a North American leader in the emergency response market and offers brands including Spartan Authorized Parts, Spartan Factory Service Centers, Spartan Fire Chassis, Smeal, and Ladder Tower. Spartan Emergency Response vehicles are well known for safety, quality, durability, aftermarket product support, and first-to-market innovation. The company operates facilities in Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Nebraska.
About REV Group, Inc.
REV Group companies are leading designers and manufacturers of specialty vehicles and related aftermarket parts and services, which serve a diversified customer base, primarily in the United States, through two segments: Specialty Vehicles and Recreational Vehicles. The Specialty Vehicles Segment provides customized vehicle solutions for applications, including essential needs for public services (ambulances and fire apparatus) and commercial infrastructure (terminal trucks and industrial sweepers). REV Group’s Recreational Vehicles Segment manufactures a variety of RVs from Class B vans to Class A motorhomes. REV Group’s portfolio is made up of well-established principal vehicle brands, including many of the most recognizable names within their industry. Several of REV Group’s brands pioneered their specialty vehicle product categories and date back more than 50 years. REV Group trades on the NYSE under the symbol REVG. Investors-REVG
Media Contact:
Julie Nuernberg | Senior Director of Marketing & Communications
BRANDON, SD – Oct. 14, 2024 – Spartan Emergency Response, part of REV Group, Inc., and a leading manufacturer of fire apparatus, is building four custom pumpers for Toledo Fire & Rescue Department, with the trucks expected to be delivered by the beginning of 2026.
In October 2023, the Toledo Fire & Rescue Department asked the Toledo City Council for $3.2 million from the Capital Improvement Fund to purchase four fire engines. The purchase marks the first time the Toledo department has ordered Spartan Emergency Response fire apparatus. Johnson’s Emergency Vehicles Solutions, the Spartan Emergency Response dealer for Ohio, worked with the department to determine their specifications and to design an apparatus customized for their operations and built efficiently to fit into their budget.
Toledo Fire & Rescue department has 18 active fire stations and seven support buildings with almost 600 professional firefighters who respond to over 60,000 calls a year.
“Johnson’s Emergency Vehicle Solutions was able to help us source much-needed fire apparatus,” said Chief Allison Armstrong, Toledo Fire & Rescue Department. “We look forward to receiving and putting these pumpers into service to help protect the city and people of Toledo.”
“We’re delighted to introduce Spartan Emergency Response to the city of Toledo,” said Tony Johnson, dealer principal, Johnson’s Emergency Vehicle Solutions. “We are optimistic that our partnership will evolve and grow as Toledo continues to.”
The four custom pumpers are built on a Spartan MetroStar LFD cab and are designed to meet the unique needs of this large city with:
Custom body with a low hosebed
Custom ladder and hard suction storage rack on the truck’s right side
500-gallon water tank
30-gallon foam cell for an external eductor system
Hale QMax 1750 GPM pump
These units were sold by Jesse Sopko, Ohio Sales Manager for Johnson’s Emergency Vehicle Solutions.
Visit https://www.johnsonsevs.com/ to learn more about Spartan Emergency Response fire apparatus.
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About Spartan Emergency Response
Spartan Emergency Response, comprised of REV Group, Inc. (NYSE: REVG) subsidiaries Spartan Fire, LLC, Smeal SFA, LLC, Smeal LTC, LLC and Smeal Holding, LLC, is a North American leader in the emergency response market and offers brands including Spartan Authorized Parts, Spartan Factory Service Centers, Spartan Fire Chassis, Smeal, and Ladder Tower. Spartan Emergency Response vehicles are well known for safety, quality, durability, aftermarket product support, and first-to-market innovation. The company operates facilities in Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Nebraska.
About REV Group, Inc.
REV Group companies are leading designers and manufacturers of specialty vehicles and related aftermarket parts and services, which serve a diversified customer base, primarily in the United States, through two segments: Specialty Vehicles and Recreational Vehicles. The Specialty Vehicles Segment provides customized vehicle solutions for applications, including essential needs for public services (ambulances and fire apparatus) and commercial infrastructure (terminal trucks and industrial sweepers). REV Group’s Recreational Vehicles Segment manufactures a variety of RVs from Class B vans to Class A motorhomes. REV Group’s portfolio is made up of well-established principal vehicle brands, including many of the most recognizable names within their industry. Several of REV Group’s brands pioneered their specialty vehicle product categories and date back more than 50 years. REV Group trades on the NYSE under the symbol REVG. Investors-REVG
HOLDEN, LA – Sept. 10, 2024 – KME Fire Apparatus, a REV Group® business and a leading manufacturer of fire apparatus, is pleased to announce that Fire Master Fire Equipment, Inc. is now an official dealer for KME® fire apparatus and equipment in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
Based in Springfield, MO, Fire Master is a second-generation family business founded by Gerald and Carol Shelton in 1972 which has been representing the Ferrara™ brand in those states since 2010. Adding KME is part of the dealer’s $2 million expansion that includes doubling its service center to 20,000 square feet, hiring of additional service personnel, and adding a commercial paint booth and a set of wireless truck lifts.
To best serve all KME customers, Fire Master also has service centers in Kansas City, St. Louis and Rayton, Missouri as well as Little Rock, Arkansas and mobile service available to all four states. The company also offers private plane charter service for customers for all factory tours.
“Fire Master has worked diligently to become a solid household name within our industry and assigned territories over the last 60 years,” said Scott Shelton, company president, Fire Master Fire Equipment, Inc. “Our reputation for always working to exceed customer expectations has been validated by the tremendous growth and trust we have gained with our loyal customers. We look forward to expanding our product offerings to include the complete KME line of products to all customers in our territory.”
“Fire Master has a proven record of outstanding performance in these four states with the Ferrara brand,” said Chris McClung, vice president of sales, REV Fire Group. “We are excited to see this same level of success with KME and look forward to expanding our market share across this area of the U.S
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About Ferrara Fire Apparatus, Inc.
Ferrara, a subsidiary of REV Group, Inc. (NYSE: REVG), builds custom, heavy-duty fire apparatus for municipal and industrial fire departments. Located in Holden, Louisiana, Ferrara is focused on protecting firefighting personnel with a custom chassis line and extruded aluminum body that exceeds NFPA and industry safety requirements. For over 30 years, Ferrara has led performance standards by delivering custom-engineered fire trucks that provide maximum response capabilities.
About Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp.
KME, a subsidiary of REV Group, Inc. (NYSE: REVG), has been in operation since 1946 and custom manufactures a wide range of fire apparatus for municipal, federal, and wildland/urban interface markets across the U.S. KME specializes in steel aerials with a ‘best in class’ steel structural safety factor of 2.5 to 1 and Severe Service™ chassis with over a million miles of real world testing at some of the largest fire departments in the U.S. KME is dedicated to engineering products that are tailored to meet the needs of each individual fire department.
About REV Group, Inc.
REV Group companies are leading designers and manufacturers of specialty vehicles and related aftermarket parts and services, which serve a diversified customer base, primarily in the United States, through two segments: Specialty Vehicles and Recreational Vehicles. The Specialty Vehicles Segment provides customized vehicle solutions for applications, including essential needs for public services (ambulances and fire apparatus) and commercial infrastructure (terminal trucks and industrial sweepers). REV Group’s Recreational Vehicles Segment manufactures a variety of RVs from Class B vans to Class A motorhomes. REV Group’s portfolio is made up of well-established principal vehicle brands, including many of the most recognizable names within their industry. Several of REV Group’s brands pioneered their specialty vehicle product categories and date back more than 50 years. REV Group trades on the NYSE under the symbol REVG. Investors-REVG
Media Contact:
Julie Nuernberg | Senior Director of Marketing & Communications
