BENNETTSVILLE—The Bennettsville Fire Department kicked off the weekend Friday by holding a special ceremony steeped in tradition to welcome the newest edition to its firefighting fleet, Squad 41.
Starting at 5:30 p.m., the “Wet-Down and Push-In” ceremony was well attended by the firefighting family and community, as well as by past and present officials. The new fire truck is the result of years of hard work put in by past and current leaders, and whose idea was put into motion by former state representative Patricia Henegan, who also spearheaded obtaining $750,000 in funding for the necessary equipment.
“I was so happy when I saw that fire truck pull up in here for the first time. I am going to continue working with Jason [Luck] to make sure we have two more,” said Henegan.
For his part, SC State Rep. Jason Luck said he was proud of the excellent use of taxpayer funds.
“All the glory truly goes to Representative Henegan. I’m glad to have something tangible to show for our tax money,” said Luck.
Speaking during the ceremony, Bennettsville Fire Chief Chris Burks explained the Wet -down tradition dates to the days when the horse-drawn fire apparatus was still in use. Whenever a new piece of equipment would arrive, firemen would carefully wash it down, ensuring all dust and debris particles were cleaned and the equipment could then be cleared for service.
Also originating from the horse-drawn era of firefighting, the Push-In ceremony honors a time when firefighters returned from a call and physically had to push the apparatus back into the station.
The Ringing of the Bell closed Friday’s ceremony, though the bells’ peal is a long-standing tradition announcing the start of a firefighter’s shift and was also rung again at the completion of a call.
Chief Burks says he is proud to add the new fire truck to the fleet as he believes it will help ensure firefighters in Bennettsville have access to the tools they need to save lives, and to continue serving the community safely and effectively.
“This truck represents progress for our department and our continued commitment to protecting the citizens of Bennettsville. We are grateful to the state of South Carolina and former Representative Patricia Henegan for helping secure the funds for this purchase,” said Burks. He continued, “We also appreciate the support of our mayor, city council, city administration, and our taxpayers who make investments like this possible. I want to thank the Bennettsville firefighters who have spent many hours over the past several years working on this project to make it a reality. Now that this truck is in service, we will begin planning for our next one to ensure we continue meeting the needs and expectations of the community we serve.”
Bennettsville Fire Marshal Donald Hamilton had praise for the department, Chief Burks, and the work of Representative Henegan for securing the funds needed to purchase Squad 41 for the Bennettsville Fire Department.
“This is a truly a great piece of needed equipment. It is the pride and joy of our fleet, and the firefighters have spent the last three years lovingly designing every detail to spec. Squad 41 will provide our firefighters with all the tools they need on scene and we could not be more proud and grateful to have it,” said Hamilton.