Fire Department to Celebrate New Engine with Push-in Ceremony

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 9, 2016

For more information, please contact:
Mary Catherine Carmichael, Communications Director, carmichm@bloomington.in.gov, 812-349-3406

Fire Department to Celebrate New Engine with Push-in Ceremony

Bloomington, Ind. - Members of the public are invited to join Mayor John Hamilton, Bloomington Fire Department (BFD) firefighters and area students for a push-in ceremony to celebrate the arrival of the Department's new fire engine. Part of the traditional housing ceremony of a new piece of fire apparatus includes having the firefighters and community members "push" the new apparatus into the firehouse. The origin is from the time of horse-drawn equipment which could not easily be backed into the building by the horses.

The new engine is a 2016 E-One Typhoon Custom pumper, with a 450 horsepower engine, 1500 gallon per minute pump, and 1000 gallon water tank. It takes around a year to receive a fire engine from the time it is ordered from the manufacturer. This engine, the first significant piece of equipment the department has purchased in four years, was purchased with approximately $400,000 of reversion funds from the 2015 City budget.

The ceremony will take place at 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday, December 13th at Bloomington Fire Station #5 located at 1987 S. Henderson St. The new engine will be placed into service at Station #5 to replace a 1997 Pierce Pumper.

Refreshments will be served and tours of the new equipment will be available.

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