By Aaron Schulze

New Melfort fire truck in service after wet-down

Sep 3, 2018 | 9:35 AM

Playing pranks on others is often associated with best friends, family members, or fraternities.

Turns out firefighters get a kick out of them, too.

The Melfort District Rural Fire Fighting Department Society’s new fire truck was officially put into service Saturday, with a wet-down and push-in.

A wet-down is a tradition where fire departments from other cities come with their own engines and hoses to wash down the new truck, taking the honour away from the home fire department.

Melfort fire chief Jason Everitt said other departments from communities such as Prince Albert, Humboldt, and Nipawin were invited to come in and wash down the new truck. Once they finished, the hose opened to the public.

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“You see the excitement on the kids faces,” Everitt said. “They get to spray a fire truck, using a fire truck. It was awesome just to see the excitement on their part.”

After the wet-down, the public and firefighters helped dry the new truck, then members of the Melfort Fire Department symbolically pushed it into the fire hall.

The truck will be used specifically for rural areas around Melfort, such as Star City, Kinistino, and Weldon. Everitt said the Rural Board decided to purchase a new fire truck as the old engine, which had 20 years of service, was accumulating climbing maintenance costs, and the board believed it was no longer suitable to use.

“They were the primary stakeholder in this truck,” Everitt said. “We’re an operator. We have the privilege of using this truck to provide service to them.”

Everitt said the fire department’s next scheduled vehicle replacement is most likely the aerial fire truck in five or seven years.

aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow