Firefighting apparatus placed into service with traditional push-in ceremony

Courtesy Photo | Firefighters assigned to the new apparatus, Truck 31, began making their own memories when called out to a structure fire in on-post housing a little more than 24-hours after the truck was placed into service in a push-in ceremony. A fire was called in that affected both sides of a duplex and the capabilities of Truck 31 were put into action. Those capabilities include a platform at the top of the ladder that allows firefighters to have a stable base to work from when elevated, provides a shower beneath the platform for decontamination, it can carry 400 gallons of water and 6 firefighters, and it can pump up to 1,250 gallons of water per minute when attached to a water supply.  

UNITED STATES

07.27.2023

Story by Collen McGee 

Fort Riley Public Affairs Office

Firefighters at Station Three on Marshal Army Airfield at Fort Riley conducted a push-in ceremony for ladder truck 31 July 21, 2023. The ceremony also retired ladder truck number 1. Current and retired firefighters from the installation attended and participated in pushing the truck into the station.
According to Eric Seward, Fire Chief with the Fort Riley Fire and Emergency Services, the push-in ceremony dates back to the 17th century when early hand-drawn fire engines and other apparatus required firefighters to push them back into the firehouse after ever call. In the 18th century, horse-drawn steam engines were used to help put out fires but they could not be backed in either so the horses would be disconnected, and the firefighters pushed the engines into the station. In the 19th century, motorized fire engines spread throughout and didn’t need to be pushed in. However, firefighters continue the tradition with new trucks to honor their heritage.
This ceremony, with the dual purpose of retiring one truck and commissioning another was one that called up some mixed emotions for the captain of Station 3.
“I started in May of 1997,” Wanamaker said. “And I want to say that we got that truck (Ladder Truck 1) probably 3 years after I had been here. And so, to see it come in brand new and everything and then when I got promoted to Lieutenant, you know, that was my truck. Now, as I’m ending my career, that truck’s going out of service, and I’ll be retiring at the end of October. So, it’s bittersweet. It was kind of a little tearjerker when they said it’s now out of service.”
In fact, Wanamaker still remembers some of the events from that first call on the old truck.
“In my first shift as a newly promoted lieutenant, I’ve got a structure fire and I was driving ladder one and that was my first fire…,” Wanamaker said. “And the fire chief, chief Cook at the time, he was there, and we got the hose deployed and everything, and I went to give them water and nothing would come out the hose. And I’m looking and I’m like, ‘Oh great, the fire chief’s here watching and there’s no water coming out the hose,’ So, I quickly go back through and make sure I did everything right and went around to the other side of the truck – the passenger side – and I looked up and the hose had wedged in between the ladder rungs. I just yanked it.”
Those memories build a bond between the firefighters and the equipment.
“The apparatus, they become part of the family,” Seward said. “And even though I came into Fort Riley later in my career as a chief officer and never served on that truck, the importance of those apparatus on a firefighter’s career is pretty important especially if you look back over the course of your career. At the time, you don’t see the impact of that apparatus on your career, but when you look back over it, it’s like ‘wow, we’ve been through a lot together.’ So, the firefighters that were born and raised in this department have been on some memorable incidents and that truck played a big role in that memory.”




Firefighters assigned to the new apparatus, Truck 31, began making their own memories when called out to a structure fire in on-post housing a little more than 24-hours after the ceremony. A fire was called in that affected both sides of a duplex and the capabilities of Truck 31 were put into action.
Those capabilities include a platform at the top of the ladder that allows firefighters to have a stable base to work from when elevated, provides a shower beneath the platform for decontamination, it can carry 400 gallons of water and 6 firefighters, and it can pump up to 1,250 gallons of water per minute when attached to a water supply.
Seward explained the truck was on station for almost a month before the ceremony to allow firefighters time to get familiarization training completed before the truck was officially placed into service.
Seward explained that the exception to policy process began in 2019.
“I’m grateful for the support of IMCOM (Installation Management Command), and the Deputy Chief of Staff G-9 for signing our exception to policy.” Seward said. “As of now, we are the only IMCOM fire department to have a ladder. We’re the only ones to receive an exception to policy.”
He also explained that once the exception to policy was signed, the truck was almost two years in the making between the post-COVID supply delays, custom build and the contracting process. The custom build is specific to the Army and having a ladder truck is an exception to policy that took time to get approved.
“The newer firefighters have heard that the truck was coming and it’s pretty exciting to get it into service,” Seward said.

• Date Taken: 07.27.2023
• Date Posted: 07.27.2023 13:06
• Story ID: 450105
• Location: US