On the afternoon of December 15th, officials blessed a new fire engine that will be going into service for the New Lenox Fire Protection District (NLFPD).

Fire Chief Adam Riegel, Deputy Chief Dan Turner, Chaplain Bill Ciston and members of the NLFPD took part in the blessing of the new engine on Tuesday afternoon. It is part of a fire service tradition that dates to the days of horse-drawn engines. The new apparatus is blessed, then welcomed by pushing it into its new quarters at the fire station.

According to Chief Riegel, “The push-in ritual can be traced back to the late 1800’s when it was a challenge to get horses to push equipment backwards. As a result, firefighters moved the equipment into storage areas by hand.”

The new fire engine is a 2020 Pierce Saber with a 1500 gallon per minute Waterous pump and 750-gallon water tank. It is an Advanced Life Support (ALS) equipped engine, which gives it the same capabilities as an ambulance apart from transport. It is replacing a 2004 Pierce Dash, which will now be used a reserve engine.

“We are very thankful to our community,” said Deputy Chief Turner. “Thanks to our residents we were able to purchase the new engine which will provide more reliability to our fleet and less maintenance costs for the district.”

The primary mission of the New Lenox Fire and Ambulance Protection District is to provide a range of programs designed to protect the lives and property within New Lenox Village and Township from the effects for fires and sudden medical emergencies or exposure to dangerous conditions created by man or nature with professional, compassionate, and quality service.