DURHAM, N.H. -- Firefighters, their families, town officials and community members welcomed Tank 4 to the department Wednesday morning with a ceremony full of firefighting tradition.
In his 23 years with the department, Fire Chief Corey Landry said he had never partaken in such a ceremony but felt it was an important event to hold bringing the new truck into service.
"We don't know if we're doing it right or wrong," Landry told the group who showed up for the ceremony.
Going back to the days when fire fighting apparatus was drawn by horse and buggy, tradition called for a transfer of equipment from the old truck, Tanker 1, to the new more spacious and modern Tank 4 to symbolize trust in the ability of the department; a water wash of the truck; and a group-effort "push" of the vehicle into the garage.
Joining firefighters were various town officials, including Town Administrator Todd Selig and Town Council chairman Jay Gooze, as well as the families of those who serve on the department who's lives are as much connected to it as those of the men and women who respond to calls within the community.
"It's pride in the department, and not just us, but the community," Landry said.
The $475,000 truck was custom built by Marion Rescue and Fire apparatus in Wisconsin to the departments specifications, can carry 2,500 gallons of water, has a water indicator, back up camera, and can take four firefighters plus all their equipment to a scene rather than just two personnel as in the former truck.
A light tower sits atop Tank 4, since Landry said one of his priorities on scene is to have the area well lit as most injuries occur due to lack of lighting and visibility.
"We don't work in ideal situations or in ideal conditions," he said.
The rule of thumb when it comes to the life span of a tanker, he said, is about 20 years with a refurbishing completed somewhere around 10 or 12 years in service. Tanker 1, which ran since 1985 had hoses and valves that were beginning to rot and, according to Durham fire officials, simply would not have been worth fixing at this point in its career.
The quality of this new truck is unbelievable, Landry said, and explained that the company used "top of the line" equipment to build it.
Each member of the fire department is required to drive the truck during daylight and at night and to pump from the truck as well for training purposes. Though it arrived in town two weeks ago, the truck officially began its career with the department on Wednesday.
"It will be in service today," he said.
Capt. James Brown, who chaired the committee charged with designing the truck, said the truck is probably the best driving vehicle the department has now with plenty of power, responsiveness, and, for a fire truck, quiet operations.
It gets better fuel mileage, he said, and has better emissions, and can turn in half the turning radius of the old one.
The cameras will provide both surveillance as well as safety.
"In the past, we've had kids try to jump on the back," he said, saying being able to monitor the trucks surroundings should help.
Painted on the rear sides of truck is the Wildcat image, and, like the rest of the trucks in service, the American flag stand tall in the back.
"We are thrilled with the arrival of Tank 4," Selig said. "It really helps to complete the apparatus we have in our fleet," he said.
Everyone in the department, including a committee formed just to do so, helped in coming up with the specifications for the new truck.
"The department did a great job having it built," Selig said, and added it was done in a cost-efficient manner.
Firefighter Peter Leavitt shared some firefighting history during the ceremony, explaining that firetrucks are red as a symbol of courage and sacrifice and that the color also elicits the strongest reaction and is indicative of danger in an emergency.
Brown told the group that the process of developing a new truck had been in the works since the summer of 2010 and that the department was fortunate to have found such a professional group as Marion to do the job.
"We had a piece of apparatus that some parts worked well and some were very dangerous," he said.
Detailing the changes to the trucks specifications, he said the whole department was a part of building it and it took a lot of work.
"We can't thank people enough who participated in this process," assistant Fire Chief Jason Cleary said.
Leading an invocation followed by a blessing and prayer for the new tank, Newmarket fire chaplain and Durham evangelical Church pastor John Wiswell, shared a light sentiment as well.
"I think we also need to pray for the first individual who scratches it," he said.
As the retirement tone for Tanker 1 was cast over the airwaves and the acceptance tone for Tank 4 officially ushered in the new truck and members of the community "pushed" the new truck into its spot in the garage, Landry told them what the whole event was really about using the same words written across the top of the new truck.
"This is an extension of us," he said. "It's our family helping your family."
Copyright 2012 - Foster's Daily Democrat, Dover, N.H.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
