Township fire companies dream big with apparatus showcase

Moorestown Hose Company No. 1 and Moorestown Relief Engine Company No. 2 held the first annual Moorestown Fire Apparatus Showcase on Aug. 15 at the township’s municipal complex, where two new beautiful fire trucks – Engine 3113 and Quint 3125 – shined bright for the community.

“We’re calling it the first annual showcase and that was intentional,” said volunteer firefighter Tom Lewis of Moorestown Hose Company No. 1. “The hope is that we can carry it beyond this year, and we’re very grateful for businesses in Moorestown that supported us to allow us to do this. The hope is that there’s a lot of smiles, a lot of good memories, and if people come away with who we are and the function we serve in the community, I think that would be a great opportunity.”

The event brought lots of smiles and memories for sure, with food trucks, a beer garden, live music, fire prevention activities and antique fire engines and vehicles from across the region on display for everyone to enjoy. Proceeds to the fundraiser will support public education, community engagement, historical preservation, scholarships, member recognition and other programs made possible by Moorestown Hose Company No. 1 & Moorestown Relief Engine Company No. 2.

“I don’t know how to dream small,” Lewis said of when he decided to take on the new event and make it something fun for all ages. “Obviously we won’t have brand new apparatus next year to celebrate, but we’ll still have the department and the rigs and the people, and we can still make it an event about the community.”

Both Engine 3113 and Quint 3125 came to Moorestown earlier this year. Engine 3113 – 2025 Pierce Enforcer’s features include a 1,000-gallon water tank and a 2000 GPM pump. Quint 3125 – 2025 Pierce Enforcer’s features include an aerial ladder with a PUC (Pierce Ultimate Configuration) pump, a 500-gallon water tank and a 2000 GPM pump. Lewis described both fire trucks as practical necessities with all the bells and whistles but all with an important function – property and life safety preservation. And while it’s not cheap to acquire a fire truck, it’s necessary to provide thorough protection to the residents. The Fire Apparatus Showcase, Lewis added, was not only initiated as a way for people to see where their tax dollars are going with the new trucks on display, but it was a great chance for people to come together to celebrate the exciting additions.

“This came about as a way to have a little bit of transparency, have fun, bring the family out… And the other thing that’s really special about Moorestown in general is we’re an all-volunteer department,” Lewis said. “All stations are staffed by volunteers who give their time outside of their normal 9 to 5 jobs, so I think it’s also an opportunity to raise awareness that we have these two great pieces of apparatus, and we have this amazing crew of people across all of these stations that give time outside of their regular life to help ensure that we have a safe community.”

Lewis, his wife and their three kids moved from Haddon Heights to Moorestown three years ago, and that’s when he started volunteering for Moorestown Hose Company No. 1. It’s the best fraternity that he could ever belong to, he said, and he truly feels that the people who are serving beside him have his back. He and his family are glad to be here, he said, not only because the school district is hard to beat, but he likes that there’s an urban, suburban and farmland feel to the township.

“You’re in it together, and it’s the true definition of teamwork,” Lewis said of the fire department. “It’s hard to put into words, but it’s the camaraderie that you get out of working together, training together, understanding each other on a level that when things really hit the fan, you know how to work well together to solve the problem at hand.”