The Summerland Fire Department has welcomed a new fire engine to its fleet of vehicles.

On April 15, the fire department held a push-in ceremony for the new Engine 232 along with members of Summerland council.

The new engine replaces a 34-year-old fire truck in the department鈥檚 fleet.

While the old engine is still in good condition, it has exceeded its rated lifespan. This affects insurance ratings and service capabilities.

Summerland mayor Doug Holmes said at 20 years, a fire engine loses half its rated capacity and at 25 years, it loses all its rated capacity. 

He added that the new unit has been built to meet the needs of the community. 

鈥淎s we get new challenges, we need to be able to address them,鈥� Holmes said.

While it is designed for structure fires, it is also able to respond to wildland-urban interface fires.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a Swiss army knife of fire trucks,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 versatile, durable and capable of handling many types of fire emergencies. It鈥檚 a long-term investment and it will serve our community for many years to come.

The new engine features a 450-horsepower engine, a  a 1,750 gallon per minute pump, four wheel drive and rugged construction. 

Summerland fire chief Rob Robinson said acquiring the new engine was a lengthy process. From the start of the process until the new truck arrived. 

The cost of the new engine is around $1 million, said Summerland fire chief Rob Robinson. 

The old fire engine will still be used at the fire department鈥檚 training grounds and can be used for numerous training exercises.

At present, the fire department has two engines, a ladder truck a rescue truck, a water tanker and bush truck, a mini-pump and one all-terrain vehicle.

The fire department, taken over by the municipality in 1949, has 30 paid on-call members, five career staff and one administrative staff.

In 2024, the fire department responded to 331 calls, held 163 training events, 1,143 inspections and 73 public education events.