Nearly $1M truck was customized as upgrade over old truck
By Teresa Sargeant
Reporter
City firefighters at Apopka Fire Station No. 2 welcomed their new nearly $1 million fire truck with a push-in ceremony, where first responders and community members thrust the vehicle into the station’s bay.
The push-in ceremony, which took place Tuesday, April 8, bears a lot of historical significance for those in fire service.
“The push-in ceremony, deeply rooted in the history of the fire service, is not just a tradition but a symbol of our enduring connection to the brave heritage of those who came before us,” a city of Apopka news release said. “It is a powerful reminder of a time when firefighters physically pushed their equipment into the bay, showcasing their dedication and teamwork. While we may no longer need to move our equipment by hand, the significance of this tradition remains strong in our commitment to service.”
The cost for the Fire Station No. 2’s new Rosenbauer Commander covers both the truck itself and the equipment stocking it. The new vehicle’s upgraded capabilities include pumping up to 2,000 gallons of water per minute, compared to its older counterpart’s 1,500 gallons. The new truck also has 1,000-gallon water reserve compared to the previous one’s 750 gallons.
The new truck features advanced safety technologies, such as a double particulate filter to reduce carcinogenic contaminants in the cab.
The truck has one driver, a lieutenant and two firefighters, totaling four people.
The old truck, a 13-year-old Rosenbauer Commander, will be used as a reserve apparatus, serving as a backup when the new truck needs servicing, according to Apopka Fire Chief Wil Rivera-Sanchez.
The Commander is a customizable chassis model offered by Rosenbauer, a manufacturer of fire safety equipment with 14 locations. A group of Apopka firefighters conceived the design based on what the fire station needed for their new apparatus, then traveled to a Rosenbauer site in South Dakota to ensure that everything was customized to the city of Apopka’s needs.
The community is excited about the new truck, and the push-in ceremony is a symbol of their support, Rivera-Sanchez said.
“This is awesome,” he said. “This is obviously the community spirit. They are fully behind the fire department. We’re fully behind our community and unifying both and sharing this moment is very special to us.”
Marco Dominguez, an Apopka resident, said he attended the push-in ceremony to support the firefighters. He didn’t push the fire truck, but his nephew Aaron Brisson did.
Dominguez highlighted the importance of community unity and mutual support for first responders. He brings the firefighters food and participates in activities they host. His son, Caleb Dominguez, is an honorary Apopka firefighter.
“We’re a community as a whole, and I think when we have first responders in the community that work together, well, in a lot of areas, we won’t fall down,” Marco Dominguez said. “We talk about working together and not falling down and encourage each other. They do so much for us, yes, so we also pray for them. We try to do whatever we could do in that capacity.”
Dominguez said he has never attended a fire truck push-in ceremony before, which he learned about online.
“This is actually the first one in Apopka,” he said. “I know other places, they’ve had them, but this was the first one. That’s why it was important also to come support it.”
The Apopka Chief is an award-winning weekly newspaper serving the greater Apopka area in Central Florida since 1923.
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