The Bedford Park Fire Department pushed two new engines into service Friday morning, dedicating one to retired Fire Chief Robert Rubel, who led the department for 22 years before his death in June at age 83.
Engine 71 and Engine 72 were formally blessed in a traditional wet-down ceremony at Fire Station 1, 6820 S. Archer Road. Fire Chief Daniel Johnson, Mayor David Brady, Rubel’s family, and village officials participated in the ritual—a longstanding firefighting tradition in which water is sprayed on new apparatus before it enters active duty.
The wet-down ceremony dates back generations in the fire service, rooted in both practical and ceremonial purposes. Historically, firefighters blessed new equipment to ensure safe operation and to mark the formal transition of apparatus from the manufacturer to the firehouse. The ritual has evolved into a community event that honors the department’s past while celebrating its future.
Rubel joined the Bedford Park Fire Department in 1966 and was promoted to chief in 1976. He retired in 1998 after 32 years of service.
Johnson spent much of the ceremony recognizing the work behind the scenes—work that often goes unseen by the public.
“When these engines arrive, they’re empty,” Johnson said. “There’s nothing in them. Our members put in many additional on-duty hours inspecting the apparatus, installing and organizing equipment, completing inventories, setting up compartments, testing all the systems.”
The two new engines represent a significant investment for the village and are expected to serve the community for approximately 15 years.
But the morning’s focus centered on Rubel’s legacy. Johnson dedicated Engine 71 to the retired chief, whose career shaped the department’s direction and culture.
“Chief Rubel dedicated many years of his career to the Bedford Park Fire Department,” Johnson said. “His leadership helped shape this department and influence the firefighters serving with him.”
Johnson noted that Rubel’s tenure included achieving the department’s ISO Class 1 rating—a distinction that reflects operational excellence and directly affects insurance rates for residents and businesses.
“He’s the one that got us on the road to get the number one ISO rating,” Mayor David Brady said. “But the most important thing to me is seeing his name on a fire engine that’s going to still lead our fire staff into action.”
Johnson presented Rubel’s family with dedication plaques commemorating the engine. He acknowledged the personal cost of a firefighter’s career.
“A firehouse is more than a building, and a fire engine is more than a piece of equipment,” Johnson said. “Both become part of the history of the people who served here. Every generation of firefighters builds upon the work of those that came before them.”
