The yellow and blue engine was parked in front of the station after it arrived where everyone in attendance could check it out inside and out.

Glenmoor Fire Chief Matthew Smith told the crowd that gathered that he wanted to thank everyone who came out for the ceremony celebrating the engine because it means a lot to the members of the department and the community. He also said that it took a lot of work from a lot of people with blood, sweat and tears into making the purchase and obtaining the new engine possible and that it benefits not only the brave men and women of the department and mutual aid departments.

Smith also said that the new engine would lead the department into the future.

The new engine replaces one of the department’s oldest engines purchased in 1992.

With lights and sirens going, Glenmoor Volunteer Fire Department’s new engines arrive at the station to applause and cheers from firefighters and community who turned out for its arrival.

The new engine was ordered a year ago. Typically, it’s running about three years for any department to get a custom truck, but because the department opted to go with a stock chassis and just customize tools and equipment it only took a year for the engine to be built and delivered.

The engine cost $800,000. The department put a down payment on the engine and financed the remaining balance with a 15-year loan.

The price included building the engine with stock parts, painting, tool mount and approximately $17,000 tool allowance.

The engine has the ability to pump water faster than the older engine and has an onboard storage area for foam.

Following the engine’s arrival at the station, the department held a water transferring ceremony which involved the chief getting a bucket of water from the older engine and handed it off to firefighter who then started the passing of the bucket through a chain of people made from everyone who was in attendance to pass the bucket of water which was dumped in the new engine.

With lights and sirens going, Glenmoor Volunteer Fire Department’s new engines arrive at the station to applause and cheers from firefighters and community who turned out for its arrival. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

Water transferring is a symbolic gesture and longtime tradition for those in the fire service industry. It serves as a passing of the torch (duty) from the old to the new engine and as a blessing for the new truck.

Following the water transfer, all the firefighters in attendance from multiple departments conducted a push in ceremony which involves physically pushing the truck into the station. This ties the old with the new and keeps firefighters connected to their roots. Several centuries ago, when fire engines were horse drawn tanks, fire fighters would have to unattached the horses from the tank and push the tank into the stables. This has turned into a long-standing tradition today for fire departments when receiving a new apparatus.

While the truck has arrived at the station and is ready to go, it will be about a month before it is used to respond to calls. Firefighters will have to take that time to get familiar with how to operate the truck and the pump system on it.

The department has a policy that no one drives the engine without learning the pump system since it’s typically the drivers who man’s/operates the pump while on the scene of a fire.

Though the department now has a new engine, after much discussion, it has been determined that the old engine served them well and is still in good shape so it will be kept as a back up.

Glenmoor Fire Chief Matthew Smith, Calcutta firefighters Andrew Stephens and Rylan Childs and St. Clair Trustee Bob Swickard looks over the detail work on the front of the new engine. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

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Glenmoor Lt. Matthew Bowling looks on while people check out the new engine (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

Calcutta Fire Chief Dave McCoy and St. Clair Trustee James Sabatini check out the driver’s controls on the new engine. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

Chief Matthew Smith addresses everyone who turned out to celebrate the new engine. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

Former Glenmoor Firefighter Don Vuletic was recognized by Chief Matthew Smith as one of the original drivers on the more than 30-year-old engine being replaced by the new one. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

Chief Matthew Smith gets a bucket of water from the old engine to begin the water transfer ceremony to the new engine. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

A bucket of water from the old engine is passed down the line to the new engine in a water transferring ceremony. (Photo by Krist R. Garabrandt)

Lt. Matt Bowling looks on as firefighters Brody Edgel and Kevin Mackey pour the bucket of water transferred from the old engine into the new engine. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

Firefighters from multiple stations push the new engine into it’s space inside the station as part of a traditional push in ceremony for a new engine. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

Firefighters from multiple stations push the new engine into it’s space inside the station as part of a traditional push in ceremony for a new engine. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)