Push In Ceremony
The Shaver Lake Volunteer Fire Department is pleased to announce that they will be conducting a “Push In” ceremony on at 3p.m. on August 24, 2023 at the “Old Firehouse” located at 41690 Tollhouse Road in Shaver Lake. The Department is inviting community members to join them at the station to celebrate this exciting moment.
The push-in ceremony is a fire service tradition that dates back to the late 1800s when fire departments used hand-drawn pumpers and horse-drawn equipment. Upon returning to the station after a fire call, the horses could not easily back the equipment into the station, so they were disconnected from the fire equipment and firefighters would push the equipment back into the bay themselves.
The push-in ceremony remains a symbol of fire service unity and serves as a way to honor the history found in fire departments across the nation. Now, in honor of those early crews, the Shaver Lake Volunteer Fire Department will be holding a push-in ceremony to celebrate their taking delivery of their new fire engine.
The new engine is designated Engine 260 (E-260). The Kenworth engine has been specifically designed to be able to serve double duty as both a structure fire response vehicle and as a water tender. The engine has been built with high pressure pumps and carries hoses specifically intended to fight structure fires. Unlike most structure response engines, however, E-260 holds 2,000 gallons of water and carries a portable 2000 gallon water storage tank that can rapidly be deployed anywhere with the push of a button. This new engine also has more cargo space for hoses and firefighting equipment. To enhance our wildland fire fighting capability, the engine has been designed to incorporate the EZ Trac hydraulic all-wheel-drive system for improved traction and maneuverability in difficult terrain or during severe weather conditions.
The Shaver Lake Volunteer Fire Department began the process of acquiring their new fire engine shortly after the Creek Fire. The department is grateful to all of those who assisted in our acquisition of the engine including especially the Fresno County Board of Supervisors. The department is certain that E-260 will greatly enhance the safety of the Shaver Lake Community.