The Columbus Fire Department is inviting the community to celebrate the arrival of the city’s new fire engine at a public dedication ceremony Monday at Columbus Fire Department Station 6.
The dedication ceremony will be at 5 p.m. Monday at Columbus Fire Department Station 6, 1900 W. County Road 450S.
Limited parking will be available at the station. An open house of the recently renovated Fire Station 6 will immediately follow the ceremony.
Within the fire service, the dedication ceremony is commonly referred to as a “wet-down ceremony.” The tradition dates back to the 1800s when fire pumpers were powered by hand and a station’s new equipment were horse-drawn wagons and hand-pulled carts.
Following a fire, the horses would be separated from the pumper cart and both the horse and pumper would be washed by the firefighters. After this bath, the pumper would be pushed into the station ready for the next fire. This was a daily occurrence in the time of true horsepower and hand-operated pumpers.
Today, recreating this christening tradition signifies placing a new fire apparatus into service.
The new Fire Engine 6 is a custom Quint manufactured by E-One, a company that has been manufacturing firefighting apparatus since 1974. The 2019 Quint will carry up to four firefighters and has been outfitted with a full complement of firefighting gear as well as Advanced Life Support medical and trauma equipment.
The Quint was custom manufactured for the Columbus Fire Department following specifications set by an internal fire department apparatus committee. The committee was comprised of firefighters, fire officers and fire department administration.
The Cummins-powered custom E-One Quint has a 500 gallon portable water supply in place wherever it travels. In the event the firefighters need additional firefighting water, firefighters can easily supply additional water by hooking into a city fire hydrant. The engine is capable of pumping 1,500 gallons of water per minute.
In addition to the standard functions of a fire engine, this piece of equipment also has 78-foot-tall aerial ladder that can be used for rescue, ventilation and elevated water stream. It will also offer increased maneuverability in traffic and easier access on narrow streets.
Columbus purchased the new engine for $847,000.
The apparatus currently serving as Fire Engine 6 was purchased by the city in 1998. This emergency vehicle will be reassigned to the reserve fleet, and will be utilized as a backup emergency response vehicle, said Capt. Mike Wilson, Columbus Fire Department spokesman.state briefs
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What: Fire Engine Dedication Ceremony (Wet-down Ceremony)
When: 5 p.m. Monday
Where: Columbus Fire Department Station 6, 1900 W. County Road 450S
Also: An open house of the recently renovated Fire Station 6 will immediately follow the ceremony.
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