To make the push-in ceremony realistic, firemen hosed down the new fire truck to set up the wiping down ritual before the push-in. Murray Bishoff/Special to the Monett Monthly
With a big push, the new Pierce fire truck with a 500-gallon tank of water backed into Fire Station 2 in Monett’s Industrial Park. The truck, fully loaded, would have been too heavy for a group of people to push it in. Murray Bishoff/Special to the Monett MonthlyAfter a blessing, members of the public on hand for the push-in ceremony were given towels to wipe down the hosed-down truck, as in the old days. Murray Bishoff/Special to the Monett Monthly Monett Mayor Randy Burke, with the microphone, was one of the speakers at the fire truck push-in ceremony. Darren Indovina, the city’s fire department commissioner, at far right, also spoke. The mayor is flanked by Captain Dustin Stellwagon at left and Capt. Clell Maples at his right. Murray Bishoff/Special to the Monett Monthly Monett Fire Department Captain Clell Maples, who also served as the department’s chaplain, gave a blessing for the new fire truck. Firefighters and the public were invited to lay hands on the truck to extend the blessing to the vehicle. Assistant Chief Capt. Dustin Stellwagen noted the Monett school district gave permission to put the school color scheme and Cub Nation verbiage on the new truck. Murray Bishoff/Special to the Monett Monthly The Monett Fire Department celebrated the arrival of its new Engine No. 2 at Monett’s second fire station, with a flag hanging over it for the push-in ceremony on July 31. Chief Brandon Pennington explained the history of the ritual to start the event. The ceremony reflects an old fire service tradition, replicating the old practice of unhitching a wagon of firefighting equipment from horses, wiping it down, and pushing it back into the station, ready for service again. Murray Bishoff/Special to the Monett Monthly
