Lewisville is stoking the home fires of tradition with the upcoming Engine Push-In Ceremony, slated for April 2, at Fire Station #2 on 702 E. Main Street in historic Old Town. According to the City of Lewisville, Texas, the fire department is calling on community members to help celebrate the new Engine 2 that will soon roll out to serve and protect. The event kicks off at 11 a.m. and promises to be more than just pomp and circumstance—it's a tip of the helmet to the firefighters of yesteryear.
Throngs are expected to be on hand as the fire personnel, together with volunteers, will replace the aging Engine 2, along with the Dive Rescue Team van that's seen better days. They're welcoming the latest arrival—a Pierce-built fire engine that is not only capable of fighting blazes but is also tailored to transport dive team gear. This upgrade, the department says, is expected to lead to quicker response times for dive rescue operations.
The push-in ceremony is more than just muscle and shine. The custom dates back to the 1800s, a hangover from the days of horse-drawn firefighting apparatus. Unable to reverse the wagons into the station, fire crews of the period would uncouple the horses and, with a shared resolve, shove their equipment back into the station bays. This painted a scene of communal effort and pride—a scene that will be replayed during Tuesday’s ceremony.
Though the brawn of horses has long since been replaced with the horsepower of engines, the ritual of the push-in symbolically connects the firefighters with a proud, though not so distant, past. As the new engine eases into its place of readiness, it's not only a tribute to the history of firefighting but a nod to the progress and safety provided by modern technology.
