Tyler Harsselaar of Sully was recently promoted to the rank of Engineer with Ankeny Fire Department’s Station 3. He is shown with his wife, Kaila, and their three sons at the Jan. 15 swearing-in ceremony.
Tyler Harsselaar’s heart for serving others has led to a new title on his resume – Engineer. On Thursday, Jan. 15, the Lynnville native was promoted to the rank of Engineer of Ankeny Fire Department’s Station 3. As an Engineer, Harsselaar will drive the fire engine every day, which is a challenge in itself given the traffic and neighborhood side roads in Ankeny, one of Iowa’s largest and fastest-growing cities that is ranked as the fifth most populous in Iowa. While on a fire run, Harsselaar will be responsible for running the pump at the engine to provide water to the firefighters inside as well as perform other emergency outside operations as needed. He will still assist on medical calls and will add inspections of fire alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, and sprinkler systems to his duties.
At Thursday’s swearing-in ceremony at the fire station, Harsselaar asked his father, Dwight, to pin his badge. Harsselaar’s wife, Kaila, will pin his badge on at the department awards ceremony to be held this spring.
Harsselaar’s service in the emergency field started in 2010 when he earned his EMT license as a volunteer member of the Lynnville Fire Department. Two years later with intense training under his belt, he achieved his paramedic certification and joined the Newton Fire Department in the fall of 2012. Since 2018, Harsselaar has served with Ankeny Fire Department’s Station 3.
Harsselaar and his wife Kaila reside in Sully with their three young sons. He is a Lynnville-Sully graduate and the son of Dwight and Kim Harsselaar of Lynnville.
