Firefighters participate in ceremonial push-in of new engine

Local firefighters participated in a ceremonial push-in of a new engine to be stationed at Buckeye Fire Department Station 706 next door to West Park Elementary School.

The $1.3 million fire engine will serve the homes and businesses in the West Park area.

The new engine, a pumper, was built specifically for Buckeye by Sutphen Fire Trucks in Dublin, Ohio.

Thursday’s push-in ceremony honors the tradition of firefighters from horse-drawn carriage days when firefighters would return to a station, then carefully back their equipment in to be ready to go when called.

On Saturday, firefighters and guests gathered in front of the new engine, hosed it down then dried and polished the engine with specially made souvenir towels. The engine was then slowly pushed into the station in reverse as tradition dictates.

Station 706 is staffed by four firefighter/EMTs at all times to respond in the new engine which carries about 750 gallons of water, enough to knock down a fire before tapping into a hydrant, according to Rayne Gray, assistant fire chief.

Over the next two years, residents in the West Park area will see a new fire station go up at Broadway Road and Ironside Drive; it will replace the temporary station next door to West Park Elementary School.

In December Buckeye’s elected leaders approved the design and pre construction phase of the new building at a cost of $1.27 million.

“A full fire station typically costs between $15-20 million to construct and is designed to serve the community for 50-75 years,” said Rayne Gray, assistant fire chief for the City of Buckeye. “Funding for this project is provided through the voter-approved public safety bond.”