Newberry County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) recently took delivery of their newest ambulance, Medic 22 which will be deployed to the Fairview/Lake Murray area of the county. EMS personnel will hold a commissioning and “push back” ceremony for their newest apparatus on October 14, 2021, at 11:30 am. The event will take place at EMS Headquarters located at 2603 Evans St, Newberry, SC.

“Wet Down and Push-Back” ceremonies are a tradition that dates back to the 1800’s
when firefighters used horses. Rob Wronski, recently named Newberry County EMS Director, said, “Before there were engines, fire departments used horses to pull a fire apparatus to fires. When the apparatus came to the station after a call, instead of trying to back up a fire apparatus with horses attached, they would detach the horses, wash the apparatus, and push the apparatus back in by hand.” This tradition is not only carried out for fire apparatus, but any new emergency services vehicles placed in service.

A short ceremony and blessing of the unit will take place on October 14. EMS Personnel, Hospital Administration and County Emergency Management Personnel will push the new ambulance into the station to officially place it in service.

All NCEMS ambulances, including the new Medic 22, have the newest and most
advanced life support equipment that is available to serve the citizens of Newberry
County.

Any questions may be directed to NCEMS Director Rob Wronski at
robert.wronski@newberryhospital.net.