The May 2007 issue of FIRE CHIEF featured "Untapped Resources," which reported on Stanley, Iowa, and the improvements it made to its water supply. Those improvements were put to the test recently and helped save the town from a wind-driven fire.

Among the many upgrades were the acquisition and installation of a fire pond, supply pumps and many other valuable pieces of apparatus and equipment. Much of it was obtained through government surplus programs at little or no cost to the department.

As the article went to press, Rodger Sill, mayor of Stanley and an active member of the fire department, sent the following update:

Had our biggest fire in recent memory Saturday, and there are some new believers in our fire pond.

[The fire] started in a large old timber-frame barn, spread immediately to a large wood corncrib and then into an unharvested former Christmas tree farm. [It was fanned by] 20mph winds out of the SSW and burned at least a couple of acres of 20-foot pine trees — the first actual 'forest' type fire we've ever had. It was by far the largest fire around here in memory and the first real structure fire in several years. [The trees were] fully engulfed when I arrived with the pumper. First time I've pulled a 2½-inch line in the four years on the department.

Ground litter burned through, and the tree tops burned across quickly. Fortunately an abandoned railroad right of way was a few hundred feet to the north, and we were able to stop the fire before it got into town, which was a half block further.

By the way, our fire pond and dry hydrant really saved us. We pumped at least 25,000 gallons to tankers. Tanker run was only three blocks. Prior to installation of the pond, the run would have been over seven miles each way.