Western students get new training tool - WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |

SPARTA, WISCONSIN (WXOW)-- Students at Western Technical College in Sparta have a new training tool.

For the first time, the college bought a brand new fire truck for the fire protection technician program. Typically the school gets old trucks for fire departments.

Students and staff celebrated the new fire engine with what's called a housing ceremony.

"We're going to transfer the equipment from the old truck to the new truck, representing that exchange," said Gary Trulson, associate dean of Health and Public Safety. "And then we're also going to wash the wheels of the new truck and it really dates back to the old days, in the horse drawn steamer days, when they had to wash the wheels."

The dean says a state-of the art training truck will better prepare students for the real world.