PUSH IN
CEREMONY
For the first time in 60 years, the Halltown Fire Protection District is placing a brand-new fire truck in service. Come help us push it in.
A Milestone 60 Years in the Making
The Halltown Fire Protection District will hold a traditional fire service Push-In Ceremony on Saturday, April 18, 2026, to officially place its first-ever new fire truck in service. The public is warmly invited to join us at Station 1, 109 Elm Street, Halltown, Missouri.
In six decades of protecting the Halltown community, this all-volunteer department has never purchased a new vehicle. Every truck in HFPD's fleet has been acquired used or surplus — until now.
"This truck represents everything our volunteers have worked toward for the past several years. In 60 years, we've never been able to say we bought something new. We did this the right way — saving, planning, and making every tax dollar count for the community that trusts us."
— Rob Maupin, Chairman, HFPD Board of DirectorsThe new 2026 Ford F550 4x4 rescue truck is purpose-built for the full range of emergencies our district faces: motor vehicle accidents and extrications on Interstate 44, medical emergencies, grass and vehicle fires, and hazardous materials response. It is the most capable and versatile first-response vehicle the department has ever fielded.
Service
Firefighters
Protected
in 2025
Stations
The First New Truck in Our History
The 2026 Ford F550 4x4 is equipped with a custom Alum-Line aluminum truck bed and a Feld Fire skid unit carrying 400 gallons of water plus foam capability. It is the first new vehicle ever purchased by the Halltown Fire Protection District in 60 years of operation.
The entire vehicle package was purchased in cash — no debt incurred — through property tax revenues, FEMA storm reimbursements, and cost-recovery fees from motor vehicle accident responses.
Who We Are
The Halltown Fire Protection District is a 100% all-volunteer fire protection district — we have no paid staff of any kind. Our 13 volunteer firefighters all hold full-time jobs elsewhere and donate their time to protect this community. Originally established in 1966 and reorganized by voter approval in 2020 as a fire protection district under Missouri law, HFPD is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2026.
We operate from two fire stations with a fleet that includes two engines, two brush/quick attack units, and two water tankers, covering approximately 110 square miles of primarily rural and agricultural land serving about 1,000 residents. Our annual operating budget is less than $120,000, funded almost entirely by property tax revenue.
Despite these constraints, our district protects critical infrastructure including a segment of Interstate 44 carrying an average of 46,000 vehicles per day, the Marathon Pipe Line, the U.S. Post Office, two Missouri Department of Conservation sites, YMCA Camp Wakonda, Mickey Owen Baseball, and the Steam Engine Association grounds drawing approximately 15,000 attendees annually.
HFPD's call volume has nearly tripled in just two years — from 122 incidents in 2023 to 340 incidents in 2025, a 179% increase. Early 2026 data puts us on pace for approximately 420 incidents this year.
A Department Transformed
Since reorganizing as a tax-supported district in 2020, HFPD has made steady, meaningful improvements for the community it serves:
What Is a Push-In Ceremony?
The fire truck push-in ceremony is a historic fire service tradition dating to the 1800s, when horse-drawn wagons could not back into station bays under their own power. Firefighters — and often community members — would physically push new apparatus into the station, symbolizing unity, pride, and the beginning of service.
Today, the tradition honors that heritage while welcoming a new vehicle and the era of service it represents. It is one of the most meaningful ceremonies in the fire service, and we want our community to be part of ours.
On April 18th, we invite you to stand alongside our 13 volunteer firefighters and help push this historic truck through the station doors for the very first time.
Where Route 66 Meets 60 Years of Service
HFPD was founded in 1966 — the same year our station was built right alongside historic Route 66, which is proudly featured in the center of our department badge. Baseball legend Mickey Owen, who ran a baseball camp just down the road, donated our very first fire truck. As 2026 marks the 100th Anniversary of Route 66, we celebrate both milestones together.
All are welcome. Bring the family. Meet the crew.
April 18, 2026
Halltown, MO 65664
to the Public