New truck tradition
By John Joyce
Published in News on August 23, 2015 1:50 AM
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News-Argus/MELISSA KEY
City employees IT Director Scott Williams, Finance Director Kay Scott, City Clerk Melissa Corser and Mayor Al King participate in the ceremonial "push-in" to inaugurate the new fire truck at Goldsboro Fire Department Station 1 on Monday.
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News-Argus/MELISSA KEY
Goldsboro Fire Department Chief Gary Whaley, left, and Mayor Al King joke about how the brand new fire truck might outlast them at the ceremony.
Firefighters are big on tradition.
From Dalmatians to shamrocks, from the hazing of rookies -- called "Probies," or probationary firefighters -- to the unique way firefighters honor their fallen comrades with long processions, dress blue uniforms and kilts and the playing of bagpipes; the traditions seem timeless.
City officials took part in an example of that legacy Aug. 17 at Goldsboro Fire Department Headquarters Station 1 with a "Push In" ceremony dedicating the city's new $500,000 fire engine.
In the 1800s, upon returning from a call, firefighters would unhitch their apparatus from the horses and the men would then have to push the steam engine back into the firehouse, Fire Chief Gary Whaley explained.
"The tradition of the push in pays tribute to past firefighters, and is to honor our profession. That is why we are here today," Whaley said.
He then invited Mayor Al King, City Manager Scott Stevens and representatives from the Goldsboro City Council and city departments to give a heave-ho and help push the new engine into its bay.
The truck, which made its debut in Raleigh at the 2015 South Atlantic Fire Rescue Expo Aug. 15-16, was placed into service a day after the push-in ceremony. Additional equipment had to be mounted onto the truck before it was fully capable of running calls.
Whaley said the process of obtaining the new truck was a long and drawn out effort with many people to thank. A committee of firefighters helped design the new rig -- bumper to bumper -- to meet the needs of downtown Goldsboro.
The committee, chaired by Assistant Fire Chief Eddie Sasser and including Capt. Vaden Lee, Engineer Ray Wells and Firefighter Blake Plummer, among others, spent a week in Addington, Wis., making sure the plans were drawn up correctly and that nothing would be missed. Whaley said the primary goal was to focus on what was practical, what was needed and what was safe.
The new engine boasts 750 gallons of water on board. It can pump 1,500 gallons per minute and has its own diesel generator.
"This was a year process, a one-year process and they have stayed with it every step of the way," Whaley said.
Also integral in obtaining the new engine were the city council, mayor and city manager. Whaley said he was very appreciative of all their efforts and above all, of their understanding.
"We know and the fire department knows there is only so much money that can go around. If we buy a new fire truck, then the police cars can't be replaced or a trash truck might not be able to be replaced," he said.
City administrators saw the need and allowed Whaley and his committee to do what they needed to do to get the new rig.
That need, Stevens said, is to keep all of the city's equipment up-to-date and to provide the response that the community expects.
"This truck, being a new truck, will increase our reliability. It will give us an additional truck, which will become a reserve truck, so it increases our fleet size," he said.
Stevens said he was thankful when the firefighter climbed in the cab of the new rig and turned it to back it into the bay as the dignitaries "pushed."
"And I was glad to see the rest of the firefighters here because I thought we might need them," Stevens said.