Wet down ceremony planned for new Joplin Fire Department ladder truck

(From the City of Joplin)

Joplin firefighters will be joined by City officials and community members during a “wet down” ceremony for the new ladder truck being put into service at Joplin Fire Station #5. 

The event will be held at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 22 at Joplin Fire Station #5, 3223 S. Texas Avenue. (Parking is available on the southwest side of the Food 4 Less parking lot.) 

 After the wet down portion of the event, participants can join firefighters to “push” the truck into the station to be ready for the next call.

This tradition of wetting down a fire truck as it begins service is reminiscent of the late 1800's when fire departments used horses to pull a fire apparatus to fires. After fighting the fire, the crews would wash and ready the horses and the apparatus in preparation for the next call. Crews push the apparatus into the station’s bay because the horse-drawn equipment could not be easily backed into the building. To move the equipment into the station, firefighters and community members gathered as a group to push the heavy equipment into the fire bay.

The new apparatus is an aerial ladder truck with 107 feet of vertical and 100 feet of horizontal reach without compromising on water capacity, performance, or safety. It provides firefighters flexibility and a wide range of options to manage fires efficiently and effectively at high elevations. The ladder truck was funded through the Public Safety Sales Tax that voters approved in 2006.

Joplin Fire Department will host the Housing Ceremony and provide information about the newest truck in its fleet. Everyone is welcome to join in this event.