FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Fayetteville Fire Department marked a historic moment Friday, April 11, by conducting a traditional push-in ceremony for its new Engine 16 at the Cedar Creek Road station. Dating back to the 1700s, fire crews once pushed and pulled hand-drawn engines everywhere, including back into the firehouse. When horses came into use, push-in's continued to be necessary to get the fire unit back in the building. The tradition continued with motorized engines.
“This ceremony speaks to our proud heritage and the dedication of our firefighters,” said Fayetteville Fire Chief Kevin Dove. “We honor those who came before us while equipping our firefighters with the best tools and equipment to serve residents safely and effectively.”
Engine 16 will serve the Cedar Creek Road station and the eastern side of the city, while Engine 17—arriving shortly—will be stationed on Bailey Lake Road, serving the city’s western areas.
Each firetruck is a 2025 Pierce Enforcer equipped with a 450-horsepower engine, a 1,500-gallon-per-minute pump and a 1,000-gallon water tank and costs $985,000. Each apparatus features a low hose bed for firefighter convenience and safety, a redesigned cab with contaminant-resistant surfaces, and a particulate-reducing filter system to help reduce cancer risk. The Fayetteville Fire Department’s apparatus committee refines truck designs annually with input from all members, focusing on ergonomics, safety and efficiency.
The new trucks are funded through the Fayetteville Capital Improvement Project Fund and are expected to serve the community for 15 years in front-line duty and an additional five years as a reserve firetruck.
“The city remains committed to providing top-notch public safety resources,” said City Manager Douglas J. Hewett. “This investment not only preserves our rich firefighting tradition but also ensures our firefighters have the modern equipment they need to protect and serve.”
Fayetteville’s first fire engine, introduced in 1832, was hand-powered and would have been pushed into the station. Today, the new Engine 16 carries that same spirit forward. By carrying on the push-in tradition, the department pays homage to its past while looking ahead to the future of fire service in Fayetteville.
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