The Town of Leland invites the community to celebrate the arrival of Leland Fire/Rescue’s new state-of-the-art ladder truck during a Push-In Ceremony on Thursday, June 12, from 10 to 11 a.m. at Fire Station 51, located at 1984 Popular Street.
The new Tractor Drawn Aerial (TDA) ladder truck, also known as a tiller, marks a significant upgrade in emergency response capabilities for the Town.
During the event, attendees can take part in a time-honored fire service tradition that dates back over a century, meet their local firefighters and members of Town Council, take a tour of the station, and enjoy light refreshments. Children are encouraged to attend and explore the features of the apparatus, including its extendable aerial ladder, steering capabilities, and advanced rescue tools.
“As Leland continues to grow, so does the need for faster, more effective emergency response,” said Mayor Brenda Bozeman. “This new ladder truck represents our commitment to public safety and is an investment in the safety, resilience, and future of our Town.”
The new ladder truck arrived in the fall, and staff dedicated more than 1,300 hours to training to ensure they were fully prepared to operate it. It officially went into service in April, replacing two aging vehicles—a ladder truck and a heavy rescue truck—and consolidating their functions into a single, more efficient unit.
In the past, crews had to return to the station to switch vehicles if the initial response truck didn’t have the necessary tools. With the new ladder truck, those delays are eliminated, shaving crucial minutes off emergency response times. The previous ladder truck had also reached the end of its recommended 20-year service life and has moved to reserve status.
The Push-In Ceremony is a longstanding tradition in the fire service in which firefighters symbolically push a new truck into the station, honoring a practice from the days of horse-drawn fire engines.