When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Our three front runners (although the Truck doesn't get used much), including the aforementioned 2013 Smeal Rescue/Pumper, as well as the county's 2008 Smeal 100' aerial platform truck and our 2004 Pierce Contender.
Someone correct me if i'm wrong but I was told that blue lights on emergency vehicles in California means the vehicle/driver is armed.........
Well.. That's now how the law is worded. But I guess its the same effect. A peace officer may display a flashing or solid blue lamp. Unless there are unarmed peace officers out there I'm not aware of.
Here's my current "Fire truck"; actually a Tractor/Plow unit for wildfires.
1986 Cat D5H Hi-Track "THE JUDGE"
Me plowing a wildfire out with a JD750.
Our new JD1050 (used for clearing out firebreaks on wildfires)
My Cat behind the Deere "Nothing runs faster than a Deere with a CAT on it's tail"
Me crossing a swamp (Yes, I know....I'm dumb) to plow firebreaks. A 1,000+ acre wildfire recently went through the area in 2011 and this was the main area the tractors got stuck on)
And my old co-worker on a fire took this long ago (with the D5 I have now)
Me on my old Cat D4H on the Honey Prairie Wildfire at the Okefenokee Swamp; we're in a convoy going to put some firebreaks in
My co-Worker stuck in the new JD 750 Eco-Cab (I truly despise enclosed cab tractors especially on a fire)
Me stuck with the other JD 750
I think we are going to convert some of these "Uni-Mogs" to our fire suppression vehicles (adding a tank, etc); I can barely fit in it being 6'4.
Me as.....no other than Smokey the Bear. "Only you can prevent being a *******"
here is a copy and paste of a post i made in the july all topic thread might be a little more appropriate over here... i have watched it like 4 times, its a sweet video.
"AWESOME video i came across on you tube about the Bombardier 415 or as us socal guys know them as "super scoopers""
here is a copy and paste of a post i made in the july all topic thread might be a little more appropriate over here... i have watched it like 4 times, its a sweet video.
"AWESOME video i came across on you tube about the Bombardier 415 or as us socal guys know them as "super scoopers""
not 100% sure what the buckets hold.... i have heard around 500 gal, the CL-425 i think is around 1600Gal.... alotta water!
the DC-10 they have here in VictorVille, CA holds alot of liquid!!! i think Cal-Fire owns that one. i have had the honor of seeing it doing a nice low and slow fly over during the 2009 "station fire" here in Los Angeles County, i was in the town of Acton, and my jaw was on the floor watching the fire advance over the ridge and and having the DC-10 flying over.
the plane may of been moving slow it seemed, but the engines were singing a different tune ad the pilot hammered down trying to make it double time back to base for another round.
not 100% sure what the buckets hold.... i have heard around 500 gal, the CL-425 i think is around 1600Gal.... alotta water!
the DC-10 they have here in VictorVille, CA holds alot of liquid!!! i think Cal-Fire owns that one. i have had the honor of seeing it doing a nice low and slow fly over during the 2009 "station fire" here in Los Angeles County, i was in the town of Acton, and my jaw was on the floor watching the fire advance over the ridge and and having the DC-10 flying over.
the plane may of been moving slow it seemed, but the engines were singing a different tune ad the pilot hammered down trying to make it double time back to base for another round.
DC10s aren't too common. Very impressive water takers. They catch a lot of flack (no pun intended) for beinng 'too big'. As does the converted 747. Only one of those that I know of.
My dad is a hand crew Capitan with CalFire. I have some really great pictures of fires but I cannot post most of them because of the prisoners on the hand crews. The CDC doesn't like faces being shown publicly.
They are frequently air lifted into fires. Pretty cool.
Been watching quite a few episodes of the mid 70's show "Emergency" lately, and was wondering what the thick black hoses were used for that Engine 51 carries on the side of the truck. I never see them use them for a fire, they always use the flexible white ones stored at the rear of the truck.
Also, I noticed that whenever they arrive at a fire, they pull the hoses off the back of the truck, and then put what looks like a big clamp in the middle of the hose. What is the reason for that? Doesn't make sense to me to clamp the hose shut if you are going to use it to fight a fire.
