Tanker Pumper Dedication to Billy and Rose Fiske

It was a special surprise moment for Past Chief and Life Member Billy Fiske and his wife Rose, also a Life Member and Charter member of the Leesburg Volunteer Fire Company Auxiliary.  Rose helped to convince Chief Fiske that he was a guest of honor along with other Past Chiefs J.B. Anderson, Tommy Downs, & Paul Earley. As Chief Buchanan invited Billy and Rose to remove the covers from the emblem on the side of the new Pumper/Tanker and on the bell on the front bumper, the tables were turned. As Rose and Billy removed the covers from the emblem and the traditional fire bell on the new Pumper/Tanker - Surprise! Lettered on the Pumper/Tanker emblem was the phrase "Dedicated to Billy and Rose Fiske" and the bell engraved with the same lettering. The family members of Billy and Rose had also been secretly invited, had arrived, and were hidden from view until the surprise moment! As the LVFC members, the Fiske family, and visitors watched, the covers were removed and both Billy and Rose were suddenly treated to what everyone else had known - the new Pumper Tanker would be a permanent monument to the years of service each had given to our volunteer fire company. Chief Fiske has dedicated 46 years to LVFC, serving as a firefighter and up through the ranks of Chief. Rose has been a charter member since 1968 and served for over 40 years as a member of the Auxiliary and has held many offices through those years including Auxiliary President.

As another addition to the arsenal of fire apparatus LVFC has to respond to emergencies, the 2009 Pierce Arrow XT 2,500 gallon Pumper/Tanker is specially equipped with 2 types of foam suppressant for fire attack and "will be a potent weapon in a fire fight" according to Fire Chief Ian Buchanan.

As always, Company 1 is working hard to stay ahead of the curve. We've added a piece of equipment to our new tanker that we hope will make it possible to obtain a water supply from ponds not normally reachable with heavy fire apparatus. Tanker 601 carries a TurboDraft fire eductor. In conjunction with 5" LDH, this device can provide up to 670 gallons of water per minute for fire fighting operations" says Fire Chief Buchanan.

Special thanks went out from the LVFC to the members of the Philomont Volunteer Fire Company for loaning LVFC their Tanker 608 to LVFC while the final construction and finishing touches were done to get the new tanker delivered and placed in service.

For more on the Leesburg Volunteer Fire Company and this new Tanker and even more interesting facts go to http://www.leesburgfire.org

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