HEWITT, Texas (KXXV) — Hewitt Fire Department celebrated its new fire engine, Engine 2, being placed into service with a traditional washdown and push-in ceremony.
- The ceremony dates back to the 1800s when fire departments used horses to get around
- The new engine will go to the new fire station once it is built
- With this new engine added, the fire department now has five vehicles in service
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“I feel like it’s so important for the tradition to stay strong and especially with the community growing as much as it is," Hewitt resident Whitney Garcia said.
Garcia has lived in Hewitt her entire life.
"I love to see the community come together for stuff like this is important for us to stay strong and stick together," she said.
She tells me she's seen many traditions in her community.
"That’s why I want to make sure I’m a part of as many of them as possible. I want these firefighters to stay strong together," Garcia said.
Now, married to a Hewitt firefighter, she attended the Engine 2 washdown and push-in ceremony Saturday.
“The community doesn’t get to see them in person, talk to them and get to know them and I think this is a great opportunity,” Garcia said.
The ceremony started with blessing the truck—then firefighters wet it down as part of the washdown ceremony.
“The truck is very clean, but we’re going to clean it again,” Fire Chief Jonathan Christian said.
The community received towels to clean it. After the wash down-- the push-in required all hands-on deck as everyone pushed the truck into the station.
Fire Chief Christian said the traditions date all the way back to the 1800s.
“When they got back to the stations, you don’t just put the horses in reverse and back the pumper into the station. You actually would pull in and have to disconnect the horses then the crew and community would have to push the engine back into the station and washdown the engine,” he said.
With this newest addition, the Hewitt Fire Department now has five vehicles in service.
