The tradition dates back to the days of horse drawn pumpers, when the engines and the animals were taken care of separately. Between runs, firefighters would wash down the carriages outside the station before pushing them back inside.
In the ceremony, the “wetting down” signifies the engine is officially ready for service.
(Photos by Casey Kelly/KTOO)
About 100 Juneau residents – many of them firefighters and their families – attended the ceremony.
Juneau Fire Chief Rich Etheridge explained that CCFR is starting a new tradition of its own. The two new engines christened Thursday were outfitted with a bell on the front that will one day be passed on to their replacements.
The new engines replace older trucks at the Glacier and Downtown stations. Each one cost $600,000.
