Columbia Valley (Facebook) – On 24 June, 2024 Columbia Valley Fire Dept officially welcomed to the Community, their new Engine-1 by holding a Push-In Ceremony.
The new apparatus, a 2024 Freightliner M2 106 / Fort Garry ER-X Pumper, will replace the former Engine-1, a 1993 Ford CF-8000 that has served the Columbia Valley and Lindell Beach communities since 1994. Many technological advances accompany our new engine along with the ability to carry 5 Firefighters vice the 2/3 that our former Engine could transport. This new apparatus will be able to serve the community for many years to come.
For more than a century, fire departments across North America have embraced the tradition of the fire truck push-in ceremony to celebrate the arrival of a new apparatus. In the 17th century, firefighters used hand-drawn engines, ladder wagons, and hose carts that required manual effort to be pushed back into the station after each call. With the advent of horse-drawn steam engines in the 18th century, this allowed for easier movement but still required firefighters to unhitch the horses and manually push the engines to align steam connections. The push-in ceremony has evolved over the decades, however the tradition continued even with the introduction of motorized fire engines in the early 19th century. Today’s fire trucks of course are much larger and heavier, making manual pushing impractical. But to honor this long standing tradition, many fire departments continue to honor this tradition and have adapted to the ceremony.
Special Thanks to the following: Taryn Dixon – Fraser Valley Regional District Director – Area H, Don Myrol – President of the Columbia Valley Ratepayers Assoc., Representatives from Cultus Lake FD, Community and Family members.
