Tomball Fire Rescue First Push Ceremony

On Saturday, Sept. 7, Tomball Fire Rescue hosted a traditional "First Push" ceremony at Firehouse 4 to celebrate the arrival of Engine No. 4, the department's newest fire truck. Fire Chief Joe Sykora led the ceremony, honoring a tradition that dates back to the 1800s when fire engines were either hand-drawn or pulled by horses. After returning from a call, firefighters would push the equipment back into the station, symbolizing its readiness for the next emergency.

Attendees included Mayor Pro-Tem Dane Dunagin and other City of Tomball officials. Chief Sykora opened with a brief history of the "First Push" tradition before inviting firefighters to push the new engine into the bay, marking its official induction into service. The event concluded with an opportunity for attendees to tour the state-of-the-art truck, giving them a closer look at the latest addition to Tomball's emergency response fleet.