Capt. Chandler Williams is in the cab of the ladder truck guiding it in during the push-in ceremony.
The Farmersville Fire Department, in a ceremony steeped in tradition, welcomed a fully equipped ladder truck into its fleet Saturday — a key addition to the tools used to protect city residents.
The department brought the truck into service using a traditional “push-in” ceremony, a fire service ritual dating back to the days of horse-drawn fire equipment, Fire Chief Gregg Massey said. The ceremony involves wetting the truck with water, wiping it down and then symbolically pushing it into the fire station bay.
“We have to start it up because it’s too heavy to actually push in,” said Fire Capt. Chandler Williams.
The new vehicle is a 100-foot ladder truck, which Massey said is outfitted with all the “gidgets and gadgets it needs.” He emphasized that its features “are going to save lives.”
The 100-foot ladder replaces a truck with a 77-foot ladder, which the department will keep in reserve.
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