WOODVILLE – It’s a cause for celebration dating back to the days when fire equipment was horse-drawn.
The “push-in ceremony” holds a deep, reverential connection to a tradition born out of necessity, and Woodville Volunteer Fire Department is hosting one to celebrate the arrival of its new fire engine.
The truck, which is officially now in service for the City of Woodville and the surrounding region, will be celebrated on Saturday, June 21, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Woodville Volunteer Fire Department station, located at 215 W. Walt Davis Drive.
Along with the push-in ceremony, the fire department will host an open house, complete with refreshments.
“We may not need horses anymore, but the tradition lives on,” said a representative from the Woodville Volunteer Fire Department. “This new engine enhances our capabilities and ensures we can continue to serve our community with the highest level of safety and professionalism.”
The truck, which is a 2018 Rosenbauer Freightliner Pumper, was approved for purchase by the Woodville City Council in May, and has just a little more than 9,000 miles on its engine, and boasts a 1,500 gallons-per-minute pump, along with an impressive compliment of accessories and rescue tools.
“It is seven years old, but it pumps and drives like a brand- new truck. Once we get it back here and cleaned up and re-branded, it will look like a brand-new truck. Rosenbauer puts out a good product. This truck meets what we need for Tyler County to run up and down the roads,” said Woodville VFD Chief Alan Gartner.
Push ceremonies date back to when animals that would draw the equipment could not back in to the fire station bays, so firefighters would have to detach the horses and manually push equipment back inside.
In present day firefighting culture, the tradition symbolizes the welcoming of new equipment into service, and this new truck, with regular maintenance, should last, easily, 20-30 years or longer, according to Gartner.
Woodville VFD said it wanted to extend its sincere gratitude to the Woodville City Council, Mayor Amy Bythewood and the local community for their continued support in making this vital addition to the department possible.
