A Busy and Meaningful Monday

The fire service is rich in traditions and meaningful ceremony. This is one of the ways any tight-knit group keeps it all together and moving forward. One of those traditions started Monday evening when the new Pumper/Tanker 740 was put in service.

The entire Graafschap Fire Department, the GFD Fire Board, and all trustees from Fillmore and Laketown were invited to the inaugural push-in ceremony for 740. After a speech and explanation by Chief DenBleyker, all in attendance were invited to push the truck into it’s spot in the front row of the bay. Below is the speech that explains what we did and why:

“It is an honor to stand before you today as we celebrate this special occasion for our department and our community. Today, we gather not only to welcome a new pumper/tanker, but also to carry out a tradition that connects us to generations of firefighters before us—the push-in ceremony.

Before we begin, I want to take a moment to express our gratitude to the Graafschap Fire Board, and Fillmore and Laketown Townships. Their dedication and commitment to the safety of our community have made this possible. We know that decisions about public safety investments are never taken lightly, and we sincerely appreciate their leadership and support.

The push-in ceremony dates to the 1800’s, when firefighters would manually push their horse-drawn fire carts into the station after a call. While we may no longer rely on horses, this tradition continues as a reminder of our teamwork, dedication, and responsibility to the citizens we serve.

Today, we welcome a 2025 Freightliner/Spencer pumper/tanker. This truck was built to meet the growing needs of our community and department. It carries 3000 gallons of water, pumps 1500 gallons a minute, and is fully equipped as a class A engine. But even with all this technology, the heart of this department remains the firefighters who will operate it. This pumper/tanker is only as strong as the people behind it, and we can confidently say that our firefighters are among the best.

As we push this truck into its new home, we affirm our promise to always answer the call, to serve with courage, and to protect this community with everything we have. This is not just a piece of equipment—it’s a symbol of our commitment to the residents and visitors of the Graafschap service area.

Thank you to everyone who made this day possible. Your support fuels our dedication, and we are proud to serve you. Now, let’s carry on this tradition together and officially welcome our newest pumper/tanker home.

Thank you.”

As soon as the ceremony was over, the crew took 740 and 741 out back and began training with both trucks and shuttling water from a hydrant off 147th. This training simulates fighting a fire without available hydrants, which makes up about 3/4th of our district. Training began when 740 arrived a few weeks ago, but Monday made it officially “in-service”.

740 adds 3000 gallons of water to a fire as soon as it arrives. Along with the original tanker 741, GFD has a much better first attack water supply at a fire without hydrants.