A day for fire engines

Today, and April 23rd annually, is Fire Engine Day 消防車の日 (Shōbōsha no hi) in Japan. It honors the role that fire engines play in protecting communities across Japan. Fire engines in Japan come in many, many forms, much more than in my home country (Ireland). I also feel they are more accessible here than back home.

The reason for the date, April 23rd, is it marks the found of Morita Holdings, established in 1907, a company headquartered in Osaka which is known as one of Japan's leading manufacturers of fire trucks and specialized emergency vehicles. For more than a century, Morita has produced pumpers, ladder trucks and a wide range of rescue vehicles, contributing to safer cities and more effective emergency response.

There are many ways you can see fire trucks in Japan, not just when there is an emergency. It is quite common for fire stations to patrol a neighborhood in a fire truck. Moreover, firefighters usually visit preschools in their fire trucks and let the children explore the truck. In addition, often you can see fire engines at festivals and can get a commemorative photo in or beside the truck.

Then of course, there is the firefighters New Year celebrations, like a firefighter's festival, known as Dezome Shiki in Japanese. At a Dezome Shiki you can usually see dozens of fire engines. The photo in this post is from a Dezome Shiki. You can see the firefighters demonstrating their water pumping skills and how the sprayed water created a rainbow.