New Cherokee Fire Engines Christened In 'Wet Down' Ceremony

Three new fire engines were the center of a "wet down" ceremony on Tuesday.

Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services held the ceremony for the new engines, which were delivered on March 31 and will be put into service in a couple of weeks.  

According to Lt. Robbie Kennedy, a member of the agency's Fire Apparatus Committee, the new trucks are E-One Typhoons that hold 1,000 gallons of water each. 

The new engines also have the most advanced braking and steering components available making them the safest trucks in the fleet. All of the trucks also have vehicle data recording systems in them. 

Cherokee County Fire Chief Tim Prather thanked the Cherokee County Commission for its help in purchasing the engines.  

Prior to the ceremony, Assistant Fire Chief Eddie Robinson spoke about the history behind wetting down new fire engines.  

The tradition of wetting down the truck dates back to the horse-drawn pumper days, when horses were wet down to cool them off after a fire. 

A wet down is a large celebration in which the fire department "will share in the joy of a new or truck by wetting it down before it goes into service," Cherokee fire said in a press release

Once all of the equipment is installed, the new engines will be put into service at Stations 1 and 19 in southwest Cherokee County and Station 8 in Holly Springs.  

The new engines were manufactured by Winder-based FireLine Inc.