They say where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Well, where there are teams of local fire departments competing in high-spirited fire-service races using their oldest firetrucks, there’s a muster. And in this year’s muster, the hometown hosts were the victors.
The 99th annual Wachusett Fire Truck Muster was held Sunday, Aug. 30, between the General Store and the Common, where firefighting teams from Bolton, Harvard, Holden, Princeton, Rutland, Sterling, and West Boylston engaged in friendly—yet serious—competition. The Harvard Lions Club sold fresh lemonade and grilled food to the crowd of at least 150 spectators. Attendees included fire service members, their families and children, as well as many other interested community members from the participating towns who came to watch this year’s muster races.
“It has become competitive,” Chuck Nigzus told the Press at Sunday’s event. Nigzus is the current deputy chief and has been a member of the Harvard Fire Department since 1986. “To prepare, our team spends a month training at the [Department of Public Works] barn, recreating the events and practicing them,” he said. With a few muster wins under its belt, the Harvard Fire Department showed up ready to perform well in all the muster races.
Rise and race
One such event is the Bed Race. In this race, cots were assembled on the stretch of street in front of the General Store, and the gear required during fire emergency calls was laid out for each team member. As the lullaby “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” played over a loudspeaker, firefighters tucked themselves in and waited for a “call.” When the starting gun fired, teams rushed from their beds, dressed, boarded the back of their old-time fire engine, and simulated the response to a fire alarm. Hoses were assembled and sprayed full blast at a target. The crowd cheered, and some nearby even got a little soaking. It was a fun competition that also offered insight into the hard work and demands of the job.
Other events in Sunday’s muster included a Tower Race and a Pump Race, as well as a Women’s Race and an Old Timers’ Race, though neither of those are factored into final scoring results.
Lt. Chris Tota of the Harvard Fire Department attended Sunday’s muster with his family. He appreciated the opportunity to gather with the families of neighboring towns’ fire departments, which often assist one another on dispatch calls. Tota also is grateful for the tradition that is carried on through the yearly muster.
“It’s really cool that it is an almost 100-year-old tradition,” Tota said. “Over time, history can be lost a bit, and some of the judges and scorers are retired firefighters and the stories they give are part of the tradition.”
The essence of the Fire Truck Muster is rooted in history. George Orsula, a 16-year member of the Harvard EMS-Fire Department, said Sunday that for a department to participate in the muster it needs to have a working fire vehicle that is at least 60 years old. One such vehicle in the Harvard’s department arsenal is a truck called “Antiquey.”
A second Harvard vehicle used in Sunday’s muster was driven by Deputy Chief Nigzus during the Broken Hose race and is the same vehicle Nigzus recalls riding on in 1986 when he first joined the department.
A family affair
Others in the crowd Sunday also felt the nostalgia of yesteryear. Gina Nogler and her daughter Skye Abreau reflected on their personal connection to the muster and the broader fire safety community.
“It’s in the family,” Nogler told the Press. Her husband, Scot Nogler, is a former deputy chief with the Harvard Fire Department, and his grandfather Jack Burdick served as fire chief for many years. Also, Nogler’s grandmother served the town, taking the first 911 calls in Harvard out of her home many years ago.
With a 20-point total, Harvard came out on top Sunday, followed by Holden, a six-time muster winner, including a win at last year’s competition. And as written on the Harvard Fire-EMS social media page, “The trophy is staying home!”
