Fairmount Fire Company in Lansdale Borough will hold a community event this weekend to celebrate and house their new Ladder 14 truck and Special Service 14 vehicle.
The event is scheduled for Sept. 16 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the firehouse at 100 Vine Street. The event will feature a DJ, a pop-up beer garden courtesy of Imprint Beer Co. and Well Crafted Beer Co., along with Meat Wagon BBQ food truck, raffles, giveaways, a Kids’ Zone, and more.
The event will also feature the ceremonial backing of the new vehicles, which is a custom that dates back to the 1800s when firefighters used horse-drawn equipment, according to Fairmount Fire Company spokesman Jim Gray.
“After a fire call, the horses would be detached from the equipment and members would then have to push the equipment back into the bay,” Gray said. “In honor of the past, fire departments hold a housing ceremony when taking delivery of a new apparatus.”
Guests will also be able to meet the members of the fire company and tour the firehouse, Gray said. Local officials will also be present at the event, including Lansdale Borough Manager John Ernst, Lansdale Borough Mayor Garry Herbert, and state Rep. Steve Malagari.
The new Ladder 14 truck is a 107-foot 2022 Pierce Ascendant, which is replacing the fire company’s 1984 Mack Ladder Truck. The special service vehicle was purchased several years ago to serve as a fire police vehicle, Gray said.
The new truck was purchased in part through an August 2021 FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG), which was secured by Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick. In total, the fire company received $857,142.86 in federal funding to purchase the truck.
“As the number of volunteer firefighters continue to diminish after every passing year, the cost of local fire protection service expenditures continues to increase,” said Fitzpatrick, following the announcement of the grant in August 2021. “For just over 130 years, the Fairmount Volunteer Fire Company has honorably served our community, and this grant will go a long way to ensuring the department continues to serve the people of Lansdale and Montgomery County. The AFG program is not only vital to our volunteer fire departments financially, but also vital to our residents, who rely on these services to keep them safe.”
See also:
Fairmount Fire Company Announces Spring Craft Show Fundraiser, Registration Now Open
Mayoral Musings: Fairmount Fire Company’s ‘Under the Lights’ Car Show This Saturday
Congressman Fitzpatrick Announces $857,000 Grant for Fairmount Fire Company
Photos: Open House at Fairmount Fire Company
Fitzpatrick Announces Grant for Fairmount Fire Company in Lansdale
