Prince Edward County Fire & Rescue joined council members to ceremoniously push the new pumper into the Picton fire station on McDonald Drive on Thursday.
“Today is all about connecting with the traditions that make the fire service so special, and honouring the dedication of Prince Edward County firefighters past and present,” Interim Fire Chief Tim Kraemer says in a release.
“We also want to say thanks to our residents for ongoing support and investments in fire protection services.”
According to a release, push-in ceremonies pay tribute to former firefighters and fire service traditions.
It goes back to the 18th- and early 19th-centuries where the horses-drawn fire apparatus could not be backed into the fire station when returning from a fire call.
Because of this, firefighters would disconnect the horse from the fire apparatus and manually push the apparatus into the station.
The new pumper truck is replacing a 26-year-old pumper.
It will primarily support fire-ground operations in the wards of Picton, Bloomfield, Hallowell, and North Marysburgh.
The truck will also respond to calls in Sophiasburgh and South Marysburgh wards.
In a release, Prince Edward County says the new pumper truck will be sent to those wards to ensure that critical incidents involving interior fire attack-and-rescue operations are supported by a frontline-rated apparatus.
Council approved the procurement of the new pumper in the 2024 capital budget.
The purchase price of the truck was $638,280.
