It's not every day a fire department gets a new truck, and it's not every day firefighters welcome one designed with them in mind.
So firefighters in Lakeshore were excited to hold a "push in" ceremony earlier this week at Fire Station 1.
The municipality bought Engine 1 earlier this year for $840,000. The new truck boasts a greater capacity to carry water, more than 700 litres more than the previous engine, delivering more than 4,700 litres of water a minute.
"The feedback we've had from firefighters so far has been phenomenal," said Fire Chief Don Williamson.
Engine 1 also has the latest safety advancements, including its ability to communicate with smart vehicles nearby. The feature alerts drivers of oncoming emergency vehicles so drivers have time to get out of the way.
"With its increased capacity and communications capabilities, Engine 1 will enhance Lakeshore Fire's ability to respond effectively to emergencies," said Mayor Tracey Bailey.
The ceremony on Tuesday is a long-standing tradition among firefighters and involves pushing the new engine into the fire station.
"This ceremony goes back to when fire trucks weren't fire trucks as we know them," explained Williamson. "Every time they returned from a fire call, firefighters would push these carts back into the station by hand. That tradition has carried on for when we bring new vehicles into service."
The new truck replaces a 23-year-old Salbury engine.
