Garland Fire Station 11 celebrated taking ownership of their new aerial truck 11 with an official Push-In Ceremony May 31. It was out with the old and in with the new. The new apparatus is a 2017 Spartan 75’ ladder truck which will display the designation of truck 11. She’s replacing a 2006 Pierce ladder that has served in front line capacity for the GFD since June 06, 2006. This ladder will go into reserve status replacing the current R-5 which is a 1991 Pierce which will go into retirement and be sold at auction.
The new Spartan will carry all sorts of specialized equipment from vehicle rescue equipment, water rescue equipment, saws, tools to assist a downed firefighter rapidly and many others. But the most important things we will place on this truck are the brave firefighters who will staff it.
The GFD welcomes truck 11 to its new home and we wish her many hours of safe operation and pray that she always returns her crews home safely.
She was given a bath using the water from the old truck’s tank. This is a long-standing tradition of the fire service as new fire equipment was delivered on a dusty old road so you had to wash it down before pushing it into the firehouse.
Those in attendance at the push-in ceremony got to help the firefighters complete the drying as well as help us push her into the apparatus room. Cake and punch were served to finish off the ceremony.