BARRHEAD - But it is a dry cold.
That is what some of the attendees who braved the subarctic -30 Celsius temperature jokingly said Feb. 10 as they helped the Barrhead Regional Fire Service (BRFS) officially christen their latest piece of equipment, a 2020 Engine from Fort Gary Fire Trucks in Winnipeg, into service.
The ceremony was attended by members of Barrhead's municipal councils as well as the municipalities' joint fire services committee. The Town of Barrhead also streamed the ceremony live where it was seen by dozens of viewers, including several from Barrhead, Scotland.
Engine 37 replaces Engine 3, which has been in service since 1999.
The ceremony, called Push-In, goes back to the 1800s when fire departments would wash their latest equipment before it was "pushed in" to the fire hall by firefighters.
However, the extreme cold and the size and weight of modern fire trucks required the ceremony to be slightly modified — Engine 37 was washed and dried from the confines of a warm equipment bay and "pushed " back into the fire hall with the aid of a friendly firefighter who was behind the wheel.
"The engine will be used for both responses in both the town and county," fire chief Gary Hove said, adding it is a noticeable improvement over the vehicle it replaces.
The engine, which has a price tag of $645,197 coming from equal contributions from the municipalities, has a 1,250-gallon per minute pump and a 1,000-gallon water storage tank. Both numbers are improvements over its predecessor.
"We have water tankers, but it is nice to have water on a fire engine because often it is needed to get that first initial push to knock a fire back," he said, adding the engine can accommodate six firefighters, up from Engine 3's five.
The fire truck also has several new safety features built into it that were not available in 1999.
For example, Engine 37 is the more rugged cab-over design compared the previous commercial cab design.
"It is built with a roll cage and has many more built-in safety features, such as airbags, including ones specifically for knees," Hove said.
He added the roll cage and airbags are especially important for a rural fire department that often travels on gravel and snow and ice-covered roads.
The engine also has special compartments for firefighters to stow their contaminated bunker gear.
"That way they don't have to bring it into cab bringing and exposing them to potentially harmful carcinogens, protecting them from health issues such as cancer," Hove said.
County of Barrhead reeve Doug Drozd said fire engines are the workhorses fire departments.
"As the goto unit, almost every time the fire department is called upon, Engine 37 will be part of the response," he said. "This is a welcomed addition to the [Barrhead Regional Fire Service] and I am sure it will serve firefighters and the community well for more than 20 years."
Town of Barrhead mayor Dave McKenzie agreed, saying its addition greatly improves BRFS' capabilities, which is why both municipal councils supported its purchase.
"Our volunteer firefighters must have the necessary tools for the job to protect themselves and the community ... the new fire engine is state-of-the-art. As councillors, we are so proud to have a part in this."
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
