LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The community joined the Louisville Fire Department on Tuesday for a very special tradition that dates back to the 1800s.
Firefighters and community members in the California neighborhood came together for a "push-in ceremony," in which as the name implies, they pushed a new firetruck into the firehouse.
The tradition started in the days of horse-drawn equipment.
Engine 17, located in California, has been in the neighborhood since 1896 and in its current firehouse since 1910.
The staff at Engine 17 told WHAS11 the ceremony was very special because in their firehouse, they value tradition and honoring the firefighters that came before them.
"I love the tradition of the fire department, I love the Louisville Fire Department," Captain Donny Sorg said. "This house being built in 1910, there's times I sit in my house and think a captain was sitting at this desk in World War I, World War II, Vietnam -- and here I am sitting at this exact same desk. I'm very proud of that, all of the firefighters are. We take great pride in that."
Last year, Engine 17 responded to more than 3,100 emergency incidents. So this new apparatus is desperately needed.
The new truck was designed using the most up-to-date technology to improve safety and effectiveness.
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