PHOTOS: If you see a shiny new fire truck on the road in Carbondale, youโre not imagining things. The Carbondale Fire Department held a dedication ceremony on Thursday afternoon for Fire Engine 6, a 2025 model rescue pumper truck that replaces a retiring engine. โThis is a very big moment, and something that weโre very proud of thatโs going to serve the citizens of Carbondale for upwards of 20-25 years,โ Carbondale Fire Chief Rob Miller said.
The new engine โ replacing a 1996 model engine, as the department aims for a lifespan of a little over two decades with each vehicle โ joins a fleet of three engines, two ladder trucks and one rescue truck. Its role as a rescue pumper truck means that it will be able to carry out the duties of a traditional fire engine, while simultaneously carrying a variety of equipment that would typically be found on a rescue truck.
During the dedication ceremony, Carbondale residents helped push the truck into the stationโs garage on College Street. Miller said the practice is an homage to the early days of firefighting.
โWhenever the horse-drawn carriages would come back to the fire station, they would unhitch the horses and the firefighters would push their carriage back into the station,โ Miller said. โThe community would help push that stagecoach back into the firehouse.โ
Additionally, residents rinsed off the engine with a provided commemorative towel. Pastor Bob Gray delivered a brief blessing. As he invited the community to lend a hand in dedicating the fire engine, Miller emphasized the relationship between Carbondale and the fire department that serves the city.
โThe fire station is a part of your neighborhoods,โ Miller said. โThis firehouse is always open. Itโs a very busy place. We have a lot of people going in and out just from the community, and itโs part of home.โ Miller thanked city staff in attendance, particularly Mayor Carolin Harvey and City Manager Stan Reno, for their help in getting the department a new truck. Reno and Harvey joined several city employees and a few councilmembers in participating in the dedication ceremony.
โI know itโs well needed, and this is an important piece of equipment that will last a long time,โ Reno said. โI hope that it brings more safety and resources and support to the fire department for the community at large.โ
