Perhaps nothing in the world shines brighter than a new fire engine, and the Honolulu Fire Department rolled out seven of them yesterday at a blessing ceremony behind the HFD headquarters building in Kaka'ako.

The seven gleaming, yellow-and-white 2009 Pierce Quantum pumpers were lined up smartly along with four new Yamaha Wave Runner FX Cruisers as Kahu Curt Kekuna of Kawaiaha'o Church blessed not only the new equipment, but the firefighters who will use it.

The new pumpers feature a compressed air foam system — CAFS, for short — that can produce fire-suppressing foam at the site of a fire. The foam allows water to cling to burning material for a longer period than water would alone.

"The CAFS represents a giant leap forward in firefighting," said Fire Chief Kenneth Silva. "The system allows us to put out fires faster and use less water.

"This makes conditions safer for firefighters and saves property by reducing water and heat damage. Also, by using less water, we have less runoff into storm drains, which helps us protect the environment."

Each of the five fire battalions on O'ahu will receive at least one of the 20-ton, $560,000 pumpers, which were built in Appleton, Wis.

Silva, who got to drive one of the new trucks when he traveled to the Pierce plant last year, said they ride "like a dream."

All of the firefighters sit inside the enclosed, air-conditioned cab and can communicate with one another and fire dispatchers via radio headsets, Silva said.

The money used to buy the new equipment came from the city, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources' Division of Fish and Wildlife, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Community Development Block Grant program.

The fire stations that will receive the new pumpers are Nanakuli, Waikele, Wahiawa, the Central Station (in Downtown Honolulu), Olomana, Mokulele and McCully-Mo'ili'ili.

Each of the new Wave Runner packages, which includes a trailer and a wide-tire dolly for beach launches, cost $16,600.

The Wave Runners will be positioned at the Waialua, Ka'a'awa and Waimanalo fire stations and will replace older models. The fourth one will be used for training.