Fire department welcomes new engine with push-in ceremony

By Rob Vogt

Starting in the 1880s, after fire department crews returned from a call on horse-drawn equipment, the animals were unable to back into the fire station.
Consequently, fire department members were required to take the horses off the equipment, and push it into the bay themselves.
Over time, with the development of motorized apparatus, the need to manually move the equipment was gone.
However, it gave birth to a tradition among the fire service that still goes on to this day.
On Saturday, Oct. 26, members of the Claresholm Fire Department and Willow Creek Emergency Services, representatives from the Town of Claresholm and Municipal District of Willow Creek, and members of the public gathered at the fire hall to push in a new fire engine.
Once members of the department pushed the apparatus into the fire hall, a few dignitaries shared their thoughts.
“This is a big day for the Claresholm Fire Department,” said Brad Schlossberger, mayor of Claresholm. “This is essential equipment for the community of Claresholm.”
Claresholm Fire Chief Craig White expressed his appreciation to everyone for coming and for all the support from the town and M.D.
“This is the culmination of two and a half years of work,” he said. “Hopefully we don’t have to see it out there too often.”
“We’re just happy to get the fire fighters the equipment they deserve,” said Abe Tinney, chief administrative officer for the Town of Claresholm. “It’s an essential piece of protection for the community.
“We thank the fire fighters for their service.”
The cost of the new fire engine is $670,000.
A total of $450,000 came from the provincial government from Municipal Sustainability Initiative capital funding, a program that has now concluded.
The remaining $220,000 came from the town’s fire service reserve, which is essentially a savings account created for just such a purpose.