COLUMBUS — In a regular display of tradition, the Columbus Volunteer Fire Department pushed its newest firefighting apparatus into its bay at the CVFD fire station on May 13. This is a practice that firefighters follow with every new truck, sparking curiosity as to why they don’t just back it in, considering it does, hopefully, have an engine.
The push-in ceremony dates back to the 1800s and has a unique reason why this is done. All firefighting equipment was horse-drawn. After coming back from a fire call, the horses that pulled the equipment could not back the apparatus back into the bay. The crew would unhook the animals and physically push the equipment back into the bay.
Although new apparatus eventually came with engines and could back into the bay, tradition plays heavy with many fire departments across the nation. These departments hold push-in ceremonies, with the community invited to help celebrate the occasion.
