Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Push in ceremonies for new fire department vehicles is a custom that dates back to the 1800s when crews returning from calls with horse-drawn apparatus had to physically push them back into the station.
Friday morning, the Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory continued that tradition with an open house and push in ceremony at station 17, 109 E. Main St., to place the new engine 17 into service.
Fire Chief Joel Shilling said they had a push in ceremony with the department’s rescue truck back when they got it in 2018-19.
“This is just something to get all the guys together and push it back into the bay,” he said. “We do try to physically push it, yes. I have a bit of a concern here with just the approach as it’s at an angle, so we may have to use the truck to actually put it in reverse, but traditionally, yes, you do push it in.”
He said the open house was just a chance for the public to come look at the equipment that the fire territory has.
“Not only just today, but the public is welcome to come to any of the fire stations at any time and get a tour and stuff like that as well,” Shilling stated.
The engine was delivered May 2. Shilling said it just took time to put it in service because there was some training that had to be done for it. The apparatus manufacturer had to come and do some training with the fire firefighters, as well with the mechanic at the street department who works on the fire department’s vehicles.
“The guys have done pump training with it, got familiar with it, and then, of course, transferring all the equipment over and stuff like that as well,” Shilling said.
He said he’s thankful to have the engine as “it’s been a long process to get this here with some delays and supply issues and stuff like that, so we’re just thankful to have it.”
Capt. Brian Zehring explained, “This engine replaces an engine that was probably bought in 2008. So it was time. We were in line for a new engine and the truck committee came up with this design and this is what we’re going to put in service.”
He said the truck is very similar to the one down at station 15, so there wasn’t much of a training learning curve to it.
“It’s very, very similar to the one down at 15 and a lot of the guys have already driven this truck, so just getting out and getting familiar with it was really the only thing we’ve done. And we’ve pumped with it and went through every thing to make sure it’s ready to go,” Zehring said.
“We’re excited to have it here and it’s set up very efficiently. The other two lieutenants at this station helped set it up and we feel like we’ve got a pretty good truck that’s going to make us efficient and effective,” he concluded.
Lt. Brent Fifer chairs the fire territory’s truck/equipment committee. He said they signed the paperwork on the truck back in 2022.
“Basically, we wanted it to mirror the other truck, the one that’s down at station 15. So we wanted to keep them close to the same, that way when you get on the truck everything’s kind of in the same spot and guys know where things are at a lot easier,” he said.
He said the two trucks are more alike than not, which makes operations go just a little bit better. There’s only a few minor details with the new truck that aren’t like the station 15 engine.
“Fifteen, they’re a southern station so we don’t have hydrants down there so it’s set up for more rural fire tactics where this one can be more like a city engine, if you will, so it’s not set up quite like the other one, but it’s close,” Fifer explained.
For every truck the fire territory orders, he said they have a committee that goes piece by piece on the truck, from the front bumper to the back bumper and everything in between.
“The layout of the truck is all designed by us, so if it’s not how we wanted it, then that’s on us because we’re the ones that designed it,” he stated.
“When you go out and buy a fire truck from somebody, they take a lot of pride in it, obviously, because they are fire trucks. We go out to the plants, we see how they’re built. We actually walk down the line and watch them as they go. We get progressive pictures throughout it, so they’re made with a lot of pride and very good quality.”
