Smeal Fire Apparatus recently opened its doors to more than 130 visitors and provided tours of its massive Snyder, Nebraska, manufacturing plant.
Apparatus come in as raw stock, components and bits and pieces and leave as fully finished firefighting equipment deployed to all corners of the United States and Canada as well as around the world.
The tour provided some insight into how Smeal builds fire apparatus, the skills of those who construct them and the techniques used.
Through this series of photos, readers will learn a bit more about the 50-year-old company and what it takes to make Smeal apparatus.