By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
On Sunday, Bowling Green firefighters performed the traditional push-in ceremony that dates back to the 1800s, when horse-drawn fire equipment had to be pushed into the station by firefighters.
But these firefighters were pushing in the city’s brand new $750,000 fire engine. The tradition was old-fashioned, but the truck is anything but.
The fire engine was designed by a team of city firefighters to meet the fire division’s every conceivable need. It was a long time coming, according to Fire Chief Bill Moorman.
Previously, the city would purchase a new fire engine every five years – rotating the oldest equipment out when the new arrived. But because of the downturn in the economy beginning in 2008, plans for a new engine were put on hold.
Traditionally, the fire division operated with three basic types of vehicles – fire engines, rescue equipment, and ambulances. But in order to save on expenses and send fewer vehicles out per run, the fire division decided to combine fire and rescue into one custom-made engine, Moorman explained.
“It allows us to have all the equipment we need for structure fires and technical rescues,” like hazardous material incidents, confined space rescues or ice rescues, the chief explained.
“This type of vehicle is becoming more and more common in the fire service,” Moorman said.
To make use of every inch of the 35-foot engine, the firefighter design committee came up with ways to make as much equipment as possible accessible in the truck.
“It is custom built for us,” Moorman said.
“We’re getting busier and busier all the time, so we had to think of ways to do things differently,” the chief said. As of Wednesday, the Bowling Green Fire Division has responded to 2,088 calls this year.
So the new fire engine will handle far more than fires.
It carries advanced life support equipment, foam systems for hazardous materials, and equipment specifically for extinguishing chimney fires. It’s equipped with a winch to stabilize vehicles, extrication equipment like the Jaws of Life, and hydraulic lift equipment for heavy machinery.
There are electric saws, decontamination kits, equipment to shut off power, equipment to make sure that power stays off, and equipment for people trapped on elevators.
“We’ve become quite proficient at that,” with people getting stuck in elevators on a regular basis at BGSU, Moorman said.
“We never know what we’re going to run into,” the chief said. “The last thing you want to do is run back to the station to get something. You have to be prepared for anything.”
The engine features the latest in fire and rescue machinery.
“We used to ride in open cabs,” Moorman said. “Technology changes. Safety features change.”
The truck has storage for climate control medications, room for four firefighters, and bullet proof vests for them.
“I never thought I’d see that,” Moorman said.
The three shifts of 16 firefighters each have all been trained on driving and using the new fire engine.
“We designed it well,” the chief said. “It will serve the community for 25 years.”
