Health & Fitness
New Engine For Odenton Volunteer Fire Company
Newly acquired Engine 282 is dedicated and placed into service.
To say that there are differences between the and the department I left behind in South Carolina would be an understatement.Not that one is better or worse than the other, just different. While both departments perform the same functions, there are differences in tactics, equipment and training, etc. Among other differences, OVFC seems to be more steeped in tradition than the department I left. I found out just how much this past weekend when I photographed the housing and dedication ceremony for the company's newest piece of apparatus. During my 4 1/2 years with Sumter Fire Department, my station put two new pieces of apparatus into service without pomp or ceremony. We simply transferred equipment from the old rig to the new one and pressed on.
This experience was quite different from that. Following tradition, an elaborate ceremony was held to dedicate Engine 282 and place it into service. Many dignitaries attended including state senators, fire chiefs from neighboring companies, the Vice President of the Anne Arundel County Volunteer Firefighters Assocation and the President of the Maryland State Firemen's Association, OVFC's own Dave Lewis. After congratulatory speeches to the company by dignitaries in attendance, it was revealed that Engine 282 would be dedicated to life member Robert Rose for his many decades of service to both OVFC as well as the Anne Arundel County Fire department and the Maryland Fire Rescue Institute.
After the dedication, the engine was blessed and christened by the Chaplain from the Ferndale Fire Company. Following the christening, the engine was pulled out onto the ramp before being pushed back into the bay three times. This tradition stems from the days of horse drawn fire apparatus that had to be pushed back into the firehouse by the firefighters. The ceremony was a great experience and I was proud to be a part of it. I look forward to partaking in many other traditions with this company in the years to come. I'm also looking forward to riding the new engine myself.
