Joanne Williams
Editor
(Courtesy photo – Thanks to the work of fire personnel and city and state representatives, a new pumper truck has arrived in Olivet and will be celebrated on Monday, Aug. 24.)
Those in the business call it a “push-in.”
It is shorthand for what is done and what is significant when a fire service puts a new fire truck into action.
The ceremony also includes personnel and community members, to signify the shared efforts of the two in keeping citizens, and fire fighters, safe.
This ceremony will be celebrated in Olivet on Monday, Aug. 24 at 6 p.m. as the city officially welcomes a new pumper to the station, at 117 East St.
Olivet Engine 811 was built by Spencer manufacturing, the fourth truck from this South Haven company to sit in the Olivet fire bays.
It already has a few miles on it, as the truck was featured in the recent Olivet Firefighters Association Festival.
Chief John Collins said citizens are invited to join fire personnel and city and state representatives to welcome the new vehicle.
Collins is happy that the engine was built in Michigan, and to specifications that will aid in the safety of fire fighters, honor new technology and make operations run more efficiently.
Spencer Builders lists about 30 specifications to the vehicle, which features a Spartan chassis and a 1,000 gallon tank.
Push-ins have a rich history, dating back to when horses pulled the water tanks to fires.
The horses would not back up easily into the stables to house the equipment, so personnel pushed-in the apparatus themselves.
