Push-In Ceremony for new Wildland Fire Truck

Sunny South News Photo Submitted By Town of Coalhurst

Town of Coalhurst

On June 26, Coalhurst Town Council joined members from the Coalhurst Volunteer Fire Department for a Push-In Ceremony of the department’s new Wildland Fire Truck. The apparatus has been built over the last two years, as funds and equipment have become available, and has become a true testament of service by the department. The project was jointly funded by the Town of Coalhurst and Lethbridge County.

“Firefighters with the department helped design the truck to match our local needs and take into account conditions we face in the region,” said Deputy Fire Chief Willie Williams. “Intercontinental Truck Body (ITB) in Coaldale then built the unit and I helped install the electronics and wiring, as that is what I do in my professional field.”

A key feature of the truck’s design is the placement of a monitor (water cannon) on the front end, allowing firefighters to attack a fire without having to leave the vehicle. This is particularly important during a wildland fire when heavy smoke and high winds can cause fire to move quickly and greatly reduce visibility.

“By staying within the cab of the truck, firefighters are safer and better protected from heat, fire and other vehicles or apparatus that might be working in the area,” said Fire Chief Mitch Sorsdahl. “We have also placed two jump seats in the back, allowing crew members to be fully suited up with protective gear in case they’re needed at a major structure fire or chemical-related incident.”

Based on lessons learned at previous calls, the department designed a heated rear cabinet to mitigate pump freezing issues in winter and added a portable pump so firefighters can draw water from a river or pond if they don’t have direct access to a piped water source.

The new truck will serve as the Town’s primary medical response unit and will be used for wildland fires throughout the County, as well as for traffic control at major incidents. It is replacing a 16-year-old wildland truck that will now be used as a secondary response unit.

“Council is pleased to see this new unit added to the department and in service for both Coalhurst and the surrounding area,” said Mayor Lyndsay Montina. “By having a wildland truck available, we know our firefighters can be more agile and faster in their response to areas that are restrictive for larger fire engines, such as park spaces or fields with long grass or thick crops. It’s important to Council that we properly equip our emergency service providers with the tools they need to be effective in their work, and we’re confident this wildland unit will serve the area well.”

As per tradition in fire services, during the Push-In Ceremony the new unit was sprayed with water as a form of blessing and then pushed into the Fire Hall by emergency personnel and members of Council. This tradition dates back to the 1800s when fire crews used horse-drawn equipment. The animals were unable to back the equipment into the fire halls, so crews had to push it in after attending a fire.