Swartz Creek View

New Tanker 23 takes center stage at traditional dedication ceremony




Firefighters wash their new tanker with water drafted from her predecessor, and help guide her into her new home at Station 2, as part of an age-old wetting down and push ceremony. Photos by Lania Rocha

Firefighters wash their new tanker with water drafted from her predecessor, and help guide her into her new home at Station 2, as part of an age-old wetting down and push ceremony. Photos by Lania Rocha

CLAYTON TOWNSHIP – “Tessie” sparkled, even under overcast skies, almost as if she knew she was the center of attention.

And now that this big girl has been dedicated, she’s ready to go to work.

Officially known as Swartz Creek Area Fire Department Tanker 23, Tessie weighs in at 62,000 pounds. With 550 horsepower, she’ll haul 4,000 gallons of water and hundreds of pounds of emergency equipment to fire scenes in her home service area of Clayton Township and Swartz Creek, as well as neighboring communities. And she’s certain to make a few guest appearances at special events and parades because she’s not just mighty, she’s mighty pretty, too.

“Firefighters are superstitious,” said SCAFD Capt. Tim McKnight. “And they like their rituals.”

One such ritual, the wetting down and push ceremony, drew more than 100 people to Station #2 on Seymour Road on Thursday. It was the first time the SCAFD had had a wetting down ceremony, and it gave the SCAFD a chance to say ‘thank you’ for the community’s financial and moral support over the years.

The ceremony involved washing the new truck and topping off her tank with water from the old tanker, then pushing her back into the fire station.

The community was invited to help dry the rig, and current and former firefighters, along with elected officials, helped push her into the bay.

The ritual dates back more than 100 years to the age of horse-drawn apparatus, which had to be pushed into the station with manpower.

Fire Chief Dave Plumb said the turn-out for the ceremony exceeded the firefighters’ expectations.

“Funding a fire department can be expensive,” Plumb said, adding that his crew spends countless hours on upkeep and repairs to keep the SCAFD equipment in the best shape possible, and to keep costs down.

Plumb also thanked the residents of Swartz Creek and Clayton Township, the city council, township board and fire board for supporting the fire department.

Fire board President John Knickerbocker commented, “It is incumbent upon us, as these men and women and their families sacrifice many hours to take care of our needs, to make sure they have the equipment they need” to safely do their jobs.

The Rev. Chris Yager of Cornerstone Baptist Church offered a prayer for Tessie and the firefighters, saying, “We are thankful for our fire department, and we thank God for our men and women” who put their lives on the line in “our time of need.”

The Rev. Fr. Anthony Strouse of St. Pius X blessed Tessie with holy water.