On Saturday, September 22nd, 2018, the Champaign Fire Department will ceremoniously “push-in” new Ladder 164 into service at Station 4, 2315 W. John Street. At 12:00 p.m., the new ladder truck will be wet-down, dried, then “pushed-in”. Fire prevention messages and tours of the station will be given after the ceremony until 2:00 p.m.
This tradition of “pushing” a new fire truck into service is from earlier years of the fire service when the steamers were horse-drawn. Before a steamer was returned to the station, it was washed down by the firefighters readying it for the next alarm. Being horse-drawn, the steamer was nearly impossible to back into its station. Firefighters, and often members of the community, would have to push the steamer back into the station by hand.
Community members and media are encouraged to attend this new tradition for the Champaign Fire Department.