The Montecito Fire Department invites the community to its traditional push-in ceremony as it places a new fire engine into service. The new Engine 92 replaces its predecessor after 14 years and 100,000 miles, and is now a reserve unit.
To celebrate, the community is invited to Fire Station 92 on Monday, May 6 at 4 p.m. to join Montecito firefighters in pushing the engine into the apparatus bay.
“The push-in is an old fire service tradition that is a special way to commemorate our new engine. Historically, firefighters returning to the station on horse-drawn engines had to unhitch the horses and manually push the engine into the bay.”
It's taken nearly three years to build and design this engine. Obstacles like supply chain issues and manufacturing delays resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic made for a challenging process.
Engine 92 is a Type 1, 2023 Pierce Enforcer equipped with a 500-gallon water tank. Among its many improvements, the engine has a "pump and roll" capability, that allows it to spray water while in motion. There's also an airbag system designed to protect firefighters. Lastly, "all-steer" capability allows the driver to easily and safely navigate tight roadways.
Montecito Fire's outgoing engine will become a reserve engine, while the even older reserve engine will be gifted to the Allan Hancock College Public Safety Training Center.
