The Nikiski Fire Department held a ceremony Tuesday evening, July 9, 2013, at 6 p.m. to launch the department’s new ladder truck into service. The ceremony was held at Fire Station No. 2 located at Mile 26.5 on the Kenai Spur Highway. The public was invited to attend.
Tuesday evening’s celebrations included a retirement ceremony for the Old Ladder No. 1. The fire department’s aerial apparatus truck has been in service since 1983. At this time, the new Ladder No. 1 will be officially put into service. It is a 2013 model 100-foot aerial apparatus manufactured by Pierce Manufacturing Incorporated located in Appleton, Wisconsin. Ladder No. 1 cost $975,000 and was purchased with a Capital Project Grant awarded from the State of Alaska in 2012.
The ceremony featured several traditional touches, such as pumping water from old Ladder No. 1 into new Ladder No. 1, and the official housing ceremony where members of the department push out the old ladder and push in the new ladder truck. The ceremony included remarks from the Nikiski community members, Kenai Peninsula Borough representatives.
New Ladder No. 1 represents a significant investment by the State of Alaska and the Nikiski Fire Service Area. The new aerial apparatus is a major component in protecting critical industrial and business infrastructure for the community. As a result of this investment, Nikiski Fire Department received an updated designation as an ISO 6 fire department this year.
