Call it a christening of sorts — a wetdown. It’s the traditional ceremony celebrating new trucks and honoring the retired ones by hosing them down, the drivers of the old ones turning over the hose to the new.

And the Fair Haven Fire Department Triple Wetdown Dedication did just that on Sunday to celebrate the arrival of a new (1372 Mack) truck and two command vehicles (1366 and 1355), a fire chief’s command and first responder command vehicle. The old 1372 was retired after 41 years of service.

The celebration is a grand one in fire company tradition. In addition to the wetdown rite of passage, there’s a community party with music, food and drink and fire departments from all over joining in the welcoming of the new and retiring of the old.

Take a look … (Be sure to CLICK on each pic to enlarge!)

— Elaine Van Develde