Columbus, IN – The Columbus Fire Department is proud to announce the arrival of a new firefighting engine. With great pride and commitment from the City of Columbus to provide the highest quality of fire service, we would like to invite the community to participate in a brief ceremony to welcome your new Fire Engine 5. Columbus Firefighters will host a dedication ceremony at Columbus Fire Station 5, 100 Goeller Court, on Thursday, August 1 2024, 5:00 PM-7:00 PM. The ceremony will begin at 5:30 PM and will last approximately thirty minutes. An open house of the station is planned thru 7:00 PM. Limited parking will be available at the fire station.
Within the fire service, this event is commonly referred to as a “Wet Down and Push-in” ceremony. This tradition goes back to the era when fire pumpers were powered by hand. Following a fire, the horses would be separated from the pumper cart and both horse and pumper would be washed by the firefighters. The pumper would then be pushed back into the station ready for the next emergency call. In today’s modern era, a recreation of this event signifies placing a new apparatus into service.
The new Engine 5 apparatus is a custom pumper manufactured by E-One, a company that has been manufacturing fire apparatus since 1974. The 2024 Pumper can carry up to four firefighters and will be outfitted with a full complement of firefighting equipment as well as Advanced Life Support medical and trauma equipment. The City of Columbus purchased the engine through an investment of approximately $868,000.
The pumper was custom manufactured for the Columbus Fire Department following specifications brought forth by an internal fire department apparatus committee. The committee, comprised of firefighters, fire officers and fire department administration, dedicated time and research to design a pumper that will fit the needs of the City of Columbus. The Cummins powered custom E-One pumper has a 1000-gallon portable water supply and can pump 1500 gallons of water per minute.
The apparatus currently designated as Engine 5, a 2004 American LaFrance Pumper, will be reassigned to the Columbus Fire Department Training Division as the fire department’s first designated training engine and can also be used as a reserve apparatus.