By Ken de la Bastide
The Herald Bulletin
ANDERSON, Ind. — The Anderson Fire Department dedicated the newest engine at Station 2.
As what has become a tradition when a new fire engine is received, the firefighters washed down the truck and then pushed it into the bay.
Chief Dave Cravens explained the tradition dates back to when fire equipment was pulled by horses. After a fire, the horses would be separated from the pumper cart and both were washed down. The pumper cart was then pushed into the station.
The new truck which cost $500,000 is replacing an engine that had been in service for 12 years and was purchased with from the equipment account.
The department is expecting delivery of another new engine in August for Station 8.
Cravens said the current truck would be used for training purposes.
The new engine seats up to six firefighters and pumps 1,250 gallons of water per minute and a 750-gallon tank.
Cravens said Station 2 was put into service on Aug. 1, 1893, at the corner of 16th Street and Madison Avenue. The first fire run took place on Aug. 9, 1893, and was the first fire logged by the department.
Station 2 was located on West 22nd Street in 1969. Cravens said the station makes 1,600 runs on an annual basis.
Anderson Major Thomas Broderick Jr. said in the past decade the city has replaced every fire truck except for the ladder truck.
“Having a new truck is important because this truck runs constantly,” he said.
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