California Governor Schwarzenegger Unveils New State Fire Engines Assigned to Southern California Fire Departments

06/03/2008 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today joined representatives from the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), local elected officials, firefighters and Blue Ribbon Commission Task Force members to unveil five new engines from the OES Engine Program that have been assigned to the San Diego, Escondido, Oceanside, Murrieta and Riverside Fire Departments.

California Governor Schwarzenegger unveils new fire engines: Photo courtesy California Governor's office

"These engines are vital to our mission of ensuring that California is ready for any natural or man-made disaster," Governor Schwarzenegger said. "They will boost our ability to respond to emergencies and help put out fires while they are still small. They can also be deployed quickly to the front lines of an emergency because they are being kept in our most vulnerable communities and in the hands of local personnel."

The new engines, costing $250,000 each, feature modern radios, an automatic transmission and other features that meet National Fire Protection Association standards. The vehicles, which qualify as Type 3 Light Urban Search and Rescue apparatus (USRA), are equipped with a shorter wheel base, allowing them to be used in wildland-urban interface fires as well as earthquakes and other emergencies.

These five new engines are just the beginning. Another five engines are set to be deployed throughout Los Angeles County this month, plus five more this summer in Northern California. This is part of the 19 engines that the Governor funded in his 2005-06 budget following recommendations from the Blue Ribbon Fire Commission after the 2003 Southern California wildfires. Fifteen of the 19 engines are Type 3 USRAs and four are standard fire trucks.

The distribution of fire engines was determined strategically through a comprehensive review process by committees of Operational Area Coordinators, OES Fire and Rescue Region Coordinators and OES Fire and Rescue Branch Representatives who have assessed regional needs and mutual aid capabilities.

In his 2008-09 May Budget revise, the Governor fully funds CAL FIRE and is working to implement the Emergency Response Initiative. The Governor believes we must do everything we can to maximize our disaster readiness. The Emergency Response Initiative is expected to generate nearly $70 million for emergency response next year, and the initiative will help the state fund additional fire engines to eventually reach the 150 fire engine goal recommended by the Governor's Blue Ribbon Commission.

Highlights of the Emergency Response Initiative include:

* Funding full peak-season staffing of 336 fire engines with 1,100 seasonal firefighters in 2008-09.
* Purchasing 26 fire engines as part of the first year of a five-year cycle to acquire and maintain a total of 131 additional Office of Emergency Services fire engines on loan to local firefighters, increasing the total available from 119 to 250 over five years.
* Funding aerial assets, including 11 new all-weather, 24-hour-capable helicopters that will be purchased.
* Providing the National Guard with two full-time helicopter crews; two firefighting systems for the C-130 cargo aircraft, and three helicopter firefighting systems.

Source: California Governor

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