The department is replacing a rescue truck and a fire truck that firefighters said are now outdated, now they’re getting a new engine that they said will be more reliable.  

They just brought in a new truck, which has a pumper and rescue equipment on it. Chief J.R. Hyde said this new truck allows them to roll everything they need into one for fires or rescue scenes, like car accidents.

“Instead of trying to get several trucks there with a few guys, we can actually take one truck to a lot of scenes, not a fire scene of course, but a rescue, car accident, that type of thing, we can get more man power in one truck,” Hyde said.

He said the engine that was made in Columbus took thirteen months to design and build.  

The chief also said the truck was paid for by last year's levy and will replace a 24-year-old engine.

The white Fire truck is a 1997 Ford F-350 and the red fire truck is a 2008 Ford F-350. All the equipment on the trucks were taken as well.

The wetdown ceremony took place Tuesday, Feb. 12, where fire personnel gathered at Fire Station 1 to participate. While the ceremony was held at that location, the new fire truck will be stationed at Fire Station 2 on McVay Street in Marshfield since it is a Marshfield Fire Protection District vehicle. During the event, Marshfield Fire Chief Michael Taylor spoke about the department and fire protection district’s history. Wetdown ceremonies are celebrated by many departments in the United States. Firefighters commission a new fire apparatus by “anointing it” with water sprayed from the retiring pumper’s tank or from a neighboring firehouse apparatus. The ritual dates back to the late 1800s, when horse-drawn pumpers were used throughout the nation’s fire service. Taylor explained horses that were commissioned for the service would be washed along with the pumper at their newly assigned firehouse and backed into the firehouse bay. The firefighters would then fit the new horse with its harness, placing the company in service. After every run, firefighters had to hand-push the pumpers back into the bay and array themselves for the next alarm, and this is the origin of the push-in part of the observance.

It’s the department’s newest vehicle. Rescue Engine No. 1 will go on fire calls but will also serve as a vehicle rescue unit. Firefighters, who got their first look at the truck Monday, were impressed.

 

The 2018 Pierce Enforcer Rescue Engine was purchased from Atlantic Emergency Solutions for almost $560,000. It was previously used as a demonstration model, which helped cut down on the cost, Fire Chief Marc Brade said.