Idaho Falls Fire Department celebrates new ladder truck

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - The Idaho Falls Fire Department celebrated their new ladder truck Wednesday, with a traditional wetting down and push in ceremony.

Idaho Falls Fire Chief Duane Nelson explains back in the day, horse-drawn engines had to be pushed into the station. When water was transferred from an old horse-drawn engine to the new one, some of the water would splash onto the new one and have to be dried off.

On hand for the event were officials from the city and the fire department.

Nelson also explained the color change from yellow to red.

"In the mid 60's and 70's we went away from that, and more into a gold, yellow gold and then yellow color," Nelson said. "And that was just a decision made by the chief back then, past administration. And as we transition our fleet over the last several years and continue into the future, we're going to transition back into our traditional red."

Ladder 1 was built from the bottom up, and built by Pierce Manufacturing and Hughes Fire Equipment. It is an Arrow XT 100’ Ascendant Aerial ladder truck. This ladder truck will replace the old ladder truck. The old ladder truck will be a reserve engine for the department. 

As soon as the ceremony was over, the ladder was called to its first call, a car crash.