The Valley Regional Fire Authority will hold a dedication ceremony for the new Rosenbauer-Metz ladder truck on Thursday, Sept. 9 at 5:40 p.m. at Fire Station 31, located at 1101 D Street NE in Auburn.

The ceremony will begin with the posting of the colors by the VRFA Color Guard followed by a brief presentation, ribbon cutting and a blessing by the chaplain.

Following tradition that dates back to the days of the Auburn Fire Brigade when horses were used to pull firefighting equipment, firefighters will use water from the retired fire engine to conduct a ceremonial washing of Ladder 31 and will push the truck into its new home in the apparatus bay at Station 31.

The process to obtain this new ladder truck began back in February of 2008 when voters approved a Capital Facilities Bond to purchase the much needed resource.

“Specific challenges in our community, including roadway weight limitations, current and planned vertical growth, limited access areas and other operational issues presented a need for a ladder truck capable of many unique functions,” said VRFA Administrator Eric Robertson.

Twenty-four firefighters completed more than 60 hours of basic and advanced training in ladder operations prior to the arrival of the ladder truck in May. Since that time, firefighters assigned to Ladder 31, have continued their training with hands-on activities and drills specific to the truck.

The ladder has made many appearances over the summer in local parades and community events and was officially placed into service today.

The ladder truck is housed at Station 31 and will be staffed with one captain and two firefighters.

The truck, which costs more than $1 million, features a 105-foot ladder with bucket, capable of reaching and performing rescues on the rooftops of all the existing buildings in downtown Auburn. The state-of-the-art truck also features a 300-gallon water tank and is capable of pumping 1,500 gallons of water per minute.