The San Bernardino County Fire Protection District has obtained a $500,000 grant for a new Type III Brush Engine. Upon the request of County Fire, Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes of the 47th Assembly District petitioned Governor Jerry Brown’s office to include the funding for the engine in the 2018-19 budget. The money is part of a $10 million grant for local assistance from the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The Brush Engine includes a full complement of both wildland and structural firefighting gear, including SCBAs (self-contained breathing apparatus) and an assortment of hose lines. The engine sits high and features a short wheel base with 4-wheel drive that allows crews to go off-road into remote areas that a Type I structure engine cannot reach.
“Due to the intense fire seasons that we’ve seen in California over the past few years, it is extremely important that San Bernardino County Fire continue to advance its wildland firefighting capabilities,” stated Assistant Chief Dan Munsey. “This new brush engine comes with state-of-the-art firefighting equipment and will replace a deteriorating engine. This grant will allow us to continue to assist in helping the citizens from all over the great state of California.”
Currently San Bernardino County Fire has a strike team battling the County Fire in Napa and Yolo counties. Last year, San Bernardino County Fire strike teams responded to several wildland fires as part of the state’s master mutual aid system; including the devastating Thomas Fire in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, as well as the October 2017 Northern California wildfires.
“Our state’s fire danger has changed from a seasonal to an almost year-round threat making it so important that our first responders have the tools to face this growing danger,” said Assemblymember Reyes. “This Type III Fire Engine is a vital part of the fire response infrastructure that will help protect communities in San Bernardino County and around the state.”
The San Bernardino County Fire Protection District is an all-risk/full-service fire department committed to providing the highest level of service in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. We are the local fire department for over 60 communities. We provide Premier Fire, Rescue and EMS Services from rural towns to major cities, and all the unincorporated areas of the largest county in the continental United States.