Northfield Village firefighters and first responders welcomed a new member to the station house bays on August 11th.
A new, custom built fire engine, 3513, replaced the 30-year-old Pierce Dash truck which was still in good but outdated shape.
The former engine, now out of service, was one of the first fire trucks customized for the village, according to Northfield Village Fire Chief Jason Buss.
“It’s an exciting day for us,” Buss said.
Buss and his crew officially welcomed the new engine with a traditional fire department “push in” ceremony which back to the 1800s, according to Buss.
In the 1800s horses pulled the original fire carriages, which were cleaned after each use, outside of their firehouses.
Firefighters had to “push in” the carriage, according to Buss, due to the lack of horsepower in the reverse gear area.
“Obviously horses do not go backwards,” Buss said.
Because horses could not back the fire wagons into the early bays, firefighters were forced to unhitch the horses and back their units in.
“We don’t have horses anymore but today [August 11,] we symbolize that tradition. We push the engine in and it’s ready to go – it symbolizes that the engine is ready for service.”
Engine 3513 was custom built from the “frame up,” Buss said. Northfield Village fire fighters met with the manufacturer and tailored the truck to their specific needs, as well as safety needs of the residents.
Customization included cabinets for tools and equipment, truck hose storage and even the paint scheme.
“They made it easier for firefighter use,” Buss said of the features.
The new engine also has digital switches and LED lighting, where the older truck had a large generator for the lights. The older engine’s water supply, pressure and other features were operated by hand.
“There have been a lot of safety and a lot of technology updates,” Buss said of the new engine.
Aside from the custom storage cabinets, which each have outlets for charging a variety of equipment packs, there is also room for a power supply, if needed.
Along with the multiple fire extinguishers, tools and rescue equipment on the engine, there are also headsets for two rear compartment firefighters to communicate with the driver or dispatch. Another feature the new engine has which will make a difference to firefighters on hot Ohio days and nights is air-conditioned compartments. The previous truck had none.
“It has everything a firefighter would need if they showed up at a fire scene so they can start doing their job,” Buss said.
The old truck will be leaving Northfield Village but will remain in service as a piece of training apparatus.
According to Northfield Village Mayor Jenn Domzalski, Buss searched and found a fair trade for the truck. The mayor said Buss explored village options and chose the best deal.
“He did an amazing job,” Domzalski said.
Buss traded the truck to Auburn Career Center, in Concord Ohio, for education services worth $12,500. The credits run through 2024 and can be used for tuition, renting fire training equipment or fire ground training facilities.
Council approved the trade for services in July.
“One of the nice things about this fire truck, since it’s 30 years old, everything is pretty basic and standard,” Buss said.
However, the engine will be a valuable tool, serving a new generation of firefighters, with its pump system and variety of manual controls, he added.
“Hopefully it will be in service for years to come,” the chief said.
The new Engine 3513 will share a bay next to 12-year-old Engine 3514. The 2010 model engine was purchased for about $393,000, according to the chief.
Buss estimates Engine 3513 will last until about 2050.
“Long after I’m gone from this fire department, this fire truck will still be servicing the people of Northfield Village,” Buss added.