Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:
After the St. Charles Fire Department retired Engine 102 Saturday morning, firefighters pushed its replacement into the station. The push-in ritual is traditional when new equipment is brought on board, dating back to the days of horse-drawn engines.
“This is a tradition that has been around for a long time to welcome a new fire engine into service,” Fire Chief Joseph Schelstreet said.
Current and retired firefighters participated in the event at St. Charles Fire Station No. 2, which also included a blessing from the Rev. David Peck, and the ceremonial transfer of water from the old truck to the new.
“We take a bucket of water from the old truck and transfer it into the top of the new one, which is symbolic of passing the life blood from one truck to the other,” Schelstreet said.
Peck, a former volunteer firefighter in Rochelle whose father and uncle were assistant fire chiefs in Montgomery and Aurora, respectively, said the rituals help form a bond among fire department personnel.
“This ceremony is a tradition that provides a sense of identity and roots, and that’s good,” he said. “People that grew up as firemen always felt this push-in ceremony was an honor.”
The tradition can be traced to the late 1800s, when fire departments used horse-drawn equipment and hand-drawn pumpers. Since it was difficult to get horses to push equipment backwards, firefighters would move it by hand into the storage bays.
The new engine cost more than $600,000 and was designed with input from the fire department and a number of upgrades. The engine should see about 12 years of active service, followed by another eight in reserve.
Former St. Charles Firefighter Don Frohling, a 37-year department veteran, was on hand for the event Saturday.
thanks Dan
