PHOTOS: On Wednesday afternoon, a shiny new fire engine rolled off the Tahlequah ferry dock, bound for its new home at Vashon Island Fire & Rescue’s Station 55 at Bank Road.
At the station, Vashon’s firefighters and EMTs were waiting in formation to greet the rig — and once it was parked, eagerly swarmed around, atop, and inside it, checking out all its features.
The public will have a chance to see the rig up close from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, when the fire district hosts a family-friendly open house at the station, located at 10020 SW Bank Rd. The event will include pancakes and coffee, Sparky the Fire Dog, a fire station bounce house, fire prevention exhibits, and — of course — tours of the new fire truck.
The handsome modern apparatus can carry 725 gallons of water and 25 gallons of foam, deliverable to fire scenes with a 1500-gallon-per-minute pump — a significant upgrade from the engine it replaced.