Brevard County Fire Rescue To Host ‘Push In’ Ceremonies for Two New Fire Trucks On Friday
By Space Coast Daily // April 23, 2019
new vehicles for both stations is a pumper/tender truck that includes a 1,500-gallon water tank
BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA, FLORIDA – Two new fire trucks will be officially placed into service during traditional “Push In” ceremonies set for Friday, April 26.
• Brevard County Fire Rescue Fire Station 44, located at 3780 W. King Street in Cocoa, will hold a ceremony from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
• Brevard County Fire Rescue Station 29, located at 3950 Canaveral Groves Boulevard in Cocoa, will hold a ceremony from 3 p.m. to 4:40 p.m.
Brevard County Fire Rescue Chief Mark Schollmeyer said a “Push In” is a long-standing tradition that dates back to when fire departments used horse-drawn pumpers for firefighting.
Horses that were commissioned, or placed into service, would be washed down (with water from the retiring pumper’s tank) along with the pumper they pulled.
Once wet down and dried, the pumper was pushed into the station by hand because the horses could not back up with the apparatus attached. The community, neighboring departments and elected officials would attend these ceremonies whenever a community purchased new apparatus or horses.
The new vehicles for both stations is a pumper/tender truck that includes a 1,500-gallon water tank and a Foam Pro Class A Foam system with 20-gallon foam tank.
“These new engines will assist with providing their residents of West Cocoa and Canaveral Groves with increased fire protection capabilities through increased firefighting capacity,” said Schollmeyer.
Modern fire service has rapidly progressed in terms of technology and operating procedures.
“So rapidly, in fact, that we often forget how and why we do what we do,” said Schollmeyer.
“Keeping traditions alive, such as the “Push In” ceremony, gives us an opportunity to bring together family and friends and rekindle history of our fire service and further instill a sense of pride throughout the organization.”
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