MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Fire Department signed a new hire into service Friday, dedicating the city’s brand-new fire truck. The dedication included traditions that date back to the beginning of the fire service in America.

“We haven’t had a new engine since 2002,” said acting chief Brett Bastian, and the new rig replaces a truck that’s been out of service since 2013. A pumper with a capacity of 1,500 gallons of water per minute, the new truck cost about $451,000, Bastian said.

Organized firefighting and firefighters date back to the Colonial era, way before internal combustion engines. And a tradition developed back when fire engines were drawn by real horsepower – the fire crews would push the new engine into the fire station. Continuing that tradition, about a dozen firefighters combined to push the new truck into the Moses Lake fire hall on Third Avenue.

The fire crew observed another tradition during the dedication – when a new engine comes into service it’s recognized by ringing a bell. The bell-ringing is the official announcement of the new truck’s unit number.

The truck can pour out a lot of water, and it has a 30-gallon foam retardant system, the first on-board foam system in the department. “That is a big improvement in our ability to respond in our industrial corridor,” Bastian said. The truck also has a 750-gallon water tank on board.

There’s room for rescue equipment, including hydraulic extraction equipment, most commonly known as the “Jaws of Life.” The fire truck is also an Advanced Life Support unit, carrying the necessary equipment for that designation. “We usually staff it with a paramedic,” Bastian said.

If the engine is idling for more than 90 seconds, it shuts off and a generator kicks on to run the lights, radios and heating/cooling system. That saves the diesel used by an idling engine, Bastian said. Current emission standards for diesel engines mean there’s a of lot of wear and tear on them when they’re idling, and the new generator system will save on maintenance costs. “We expect that (system) to save about $200,000 in maintenance and fuel costs” over the truck's life, Bastian said.

The truck was a demonstration model that was refurbished before delivery, he said. “We got a really good deal.” City manager John Williams estimated the city saved about $150,000 buying the demo model.

For its size it’s maneuverable on the road, Bastian said. “This one will turn around the clock downtown (on Third Avenue),” Williams said. And not just make it through the intersection – drive all the way around the clock. Bastian took him downtown and drove around the clock to prove it, Williams said.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at [email protected].