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By Clayton Sidenbender
The Elkhart Truth
ELKHART, Ind. — The fire department marked the occasion of getting a new fire engine with a historic push-in ceremony.
The new truck brings a much-needed upgrade to Fire Station 4 on Oak Street. The push-in ceremony continues as a way to honor a long-standing tradition, said Fire Chief Rodney Dale.
“We continue this tradition as a way to honor our history, celebrate teamwork, and mark a beginning of a new chapter of this apparatus,” Dale said.
Push-in ceremonies were common in the horse-drawn fire engine days.
The new engine brings more advanced technology that goes beyond what firefighters used when Dale began his career, he said.
“This is a big step forward for us,” Dale said. “The equipment in these new engines makes the job safer and more efficient for our crews.”
The new engine will replace a 2015 engine, which is going to be relocated to the Central Fire Station, said Chief of Operations Jason Gour.
The fire engine and a new fire engine at Fire Station 7 were approved for purchase by the city council last year, Gour said.
“It’s very important to one of the core tenants of the city, which is public safety, both police and fire,” said City Councilman Aaron Mishler . “So it’s very exciting to see a new engine so quickly after approval from city council and the administration that will provide continued excellent service for the community and giving these highly qualified experts in their field the equipment they need is an essential part of my job and I’m happy to be here to support them.”
The new fire truck will have a push-in ceremony in July, said Dale.
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