Local residents and members of the Burns Lake Fire Department attend the traditional “push-in” welcoming the new fire truck on June 27. The “push-in” ceremony dates back to when fire engines were horse-drawn and because horses couldn’t back the engine into the station, the horses were unharnessed and the engineers pushed the engine back in by hand. The early steam engines also couldn’t reverse and had to be pushed in. The new vehicle was manufactured in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and has a 350-horsepower diesel motor, and for firefighting purposes is equipped with a 225-gallon water tank with compressed air foam and an ultra high-pressure water suppression system that operates at 3,000 psi. The $345,000 truck was financed through funds set aside in capital reserves. (Blair McBride photo)
