Colleyville Fire Department engine welcomed with push-in ceremony

The Colleyville Fire Department introduced the newest member of its fleet — a $540,000 fire engine — on Saturday by going old school with a “push-in” ceremony and first “bath.”

About 100 firefighters and well-wishers turned out to symbolically back Engine 242 into its bay at Fire Station No. 2, a tradition that dates to the days of horse-drawn fire equipment.

And honoring another decades-old custom, civic leaders and firefighting fans of all ages used souvenir towels to wipe the engine dry after it was hosed down.

“It pays tribute to our history,” Fire Chief Brian J. Riley said. “It’s because the fire department is very traditional in a lot of the things they do.”

The housing ceremony is a tradition that stems from the days when fire departments used hand-drawn and horse-drawn equipment. Since horses could not easily push the equipment into the stations after fire calls, firefighters had to back the gear in.

The horses were washed down after returning from a call and backed into their stalls until the next alarm.

The latest fleet addition, which was approved by the City Council following a request by Riley, is a 2016 Pierce Fire Engine.

A fire engine versus a fire truck, he said, is considered the workhorse of a department’s fleet because they “get in there with the firefighters going in to fight the fires.”

The engine will make its home at Station No. 2 at 5212 Pool Road. The new apparatus, Riley said, features “state-of-the-art technology.”

It was a “great day,” the fire chief said. “It was wall-to-wall people and kids.”

This story was originally published October 4, 2016 at 11:09 AM with the headline "Colleyville Fire Department engine welcomed with push-in ceremony."