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380AEW Article

Ceremony 'houses' Engine 12 at Station One

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Julie Briden-Garcia
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Most young boys dream of riding on a shiny new fire engine, clanging the bell and riding alongside the real bona fide fireman! Well this truck isn't your traditional fire engine and the bell is replaced with an electronic air horn and siren. But the part that's special to Station 1 is it's the newest edition to their fire truck fleet.

On March 8, 2011, the 380th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron fire department here received a new 2010 Pierce Contender 4x4 structural fire engine; the Air Force calls it a P-24.

The fire truck mechanic delivered Engine-12 shortly before 9 a.m., roll call was held and then Chaplin (Capt.) John Choi, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, blessed the truck and all the firefighters whose efforts save lives and the equipment here. Then everyone in attendance was invited to push the truck backwards into the fire station "housing" into its new home in Southwest Asia.

Most fire departments try and replace their fire trucks every 10 years or so - this station was well past that date. Most vehicles in the AOR are sent from other Air Force bases around the world to deployed fire stations as a temporary home. On this special occasion, the 380th ECES Station 1 is the first home that this fire engine has ever seen.

"E-12 has replaced a 20-year old fire engine that held up for a long time despite the harsh conditions of our location thanks to the skilled fire truck mechanics of our Air Force," said Senior Master Sgt. Phil Fourroux, 380th ECES fire chief.

He explains the housing ceremony is an old fire service tradition dating back to the mid-1800s when horses still pulled fire-wagons to the burning structures. Afterwards, when the fire brigade returned from the call and the horses were unhitched, the wagon had to be pushed back into the fire house since the horses couldn't push them backwards. This was always a joint effort with the community members and fire fighters to house the wagon again.

This ceremony is a first for many of these firefighters, like Staff Sgt Randall Forsythe.
"To be a part of something like this is pretty awesome. It's not often we get a new truck. We got one back at my state-side base [at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.] and we didn't do this, so it's nice to experience [this ceremony]."

When the time comes for Engine-12 to leave this fire station, the next department that receives E-12 will be getting a new truck for their department but this will always be E-12's first home said the fire chief.

"In my 18 years of service this is the first time I've had the honor to welcome a new truck into our fire station. With the needs of the Air Force moving us from location to location this may also be my the last time I'm able to take part in the time honored fire service tradition of "Housing the Engine" and it will not be forgotten," said Sergeant Fourroux.