Guess what I saw today.

Ventura Police "Bearcat" - Responding - Shots Fired - YouTube

I heard him get dispatched and knew where he was going, so I staged (out of the way) in a gas station to see him. I've never seen it in person and that thing is LOUD..

 

I bet they wished they had that when those two body armor clad men bungled that Bank robbery job in LA eh?

Jim

 

I have some more pictures of Firetrucks. These are from last week, when teh girl scout troop I am involved in got a tour of the downtown station in my town.

This a reserve pumper (I think) At any rate it isnt used much anymore




This is the towns antique Firetruck, used only for parades to haul around the city council.




This is another pumper that I do not think gets used much anymore either.





This is our Hazmat truck. Thank you federal governement for deciding we needed one. It has only been used a couple of times since we have gotten, as far as I am aware.



This is one of the ambulances from the company that our county has contracted for EMS.





This is the squad truck. I guess they use it for non fire emergencies.





This is the pumper that used primarily, it is also the newest.





This the town's ladder truck.





I am not entirely sure what this truck is used for, all I know is that is says LCFD on it.





Sorry for the long post, but I thought you all would enjoy these.

 

Good pictures, maybe that last one is the one the chief drives in?

Jim

 

One can never post too many fire truck pics!

 

Likely the pick up is a utility truck. They're used to move tools around when they are taken out of service for repair and stuff like that. If the city has more than one station they often outfit a pick up with a transfer tank for fueling engines.

Squad trucks (or the name "Squad") are general used for vehicles equipped for medical emergencies. These vehicles will have medical and rescue equipment, but generally lack fire fighting tools such as a water tank, pump and hoses. They do however carry tech rescue equipment of all sorts. Everything from rope to inflatable bladders for righting over turned vehicles. The actual load out will of course vary per dept.

 

Also, the federal government generally supplied funding for special equipment like that through grants which the dept must apply for. They tend to fund equipment that can be used "for the better good" such as HAZMAT or a disaster response vehicle, rather than a standard fire engine, which will probably only see local use, where as a HAZMAT truck can respond to a catastrophic event where its needed.

In CA we have something called Governor's Office of Emergency Services, or OES for short. You may see these engines around, they are highlighter/lime yellow. This dept has 120 engines and are provided by the state to departments spread out across the state. They are lent to the depts with the terms that they maintain, staff and use the equipment as needed, but do not use them as first run engines. Also OES has the authority to order any OES apparatus into service anywhere in the state to provide support where its needed.

Here in Ventura County we have 2 OES engines in reserve status. One type II engine (outfitted with USAR equiptment), and one water tender.

We also have several MCI (Mass Casualty Incident) trailers throughout the county, funded by grant money.

Notice how all of these apparatus follow that "better good" trend I was talking about.

 

I did nto realize that about the grant moeny. I had heard that the feds looked at an area and stated that due to certain conditions you must have. We have many production facitilites in our city and I assumed that was why we had a Hazmat truck.

 

Well that may be the case. But generally it's an application process. For example my city closed a station due to budget cuts. After about a year the federal regulatory administration (who's exact name escapes me at the moment) said "hey bud, you arent meeting the required maximum response time standard of 8 mins. Here is a grant for you to apply for."

A few months later they were awarded the grant and the station is now back open (with federal stipulations that it remain open).

 

Our government at work. Close this station because you can't afford it. Wait now you can't respond in a timely manner, here is some money to open up that station. Yepperz makes perfect sense to me. LOL

Jim

 

Well, the sad thing is that government is by nature reactive, not proactive.

 

I know that feeling. It takes someone getting killed at an intersection with no traffic lights before they will put one up.

Jim

 

Saw it in action today and grabbed my camera.

VCFD - Engine & Squad 50 - Responding - YouTube

 

 

A golf course in Vegas, must cost a fortune to keep that watered. That is one nice looking fire truck.

Jim