hp1530

Code 2 High reporting that Monterey Park will immediately purchase a KME engine. Wonder if that is going to replace the engine involved in the crash. Also Alhambra appears to be using a LA County tiller (5166) as Truck 71.

Any idea which department got LHH OES engine?

OES has 13 Swift Water Rescue Units stationed throughout CA. Looks similar to the LA City Swift Water Rescue. http://fire.countyofventura.org/AboutVCFD/Apparatus/WaterRescue/tabid/125/Default.aspx

Was browsing Code 2 High and saw that Vernon has a newer Truck 112. Appears to be a ALF Tiller Quint. Anyone knows where it came from?

Both sides met today http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-chp-chula-vista-20140205,0,5986838.story

If you notice, most of the Snorkels, Tele-Squirts and Squirts were purchased in the late 60s, early 70's. Chief Hill was also the chief who developed the task force concept as well. Note that there were no more Snorkel products purchased after Chief Hill left office in 1975. While that is true, that accidents do happen there were pictures of Snorkel 3 post accident that indicates it could have been saved. I really don't know what the whole story is, but LAFD blamed Snorkel and Snorkel found the department to be at fault for the tip over. Ultimately Snorkel redesigned the Snorkel with a interlock on the jacks. LAFD has not bought another aerial platform since then. I don't care for the backstory, but point is, if LAFD really wanted another Snorkel, Aerialscope or tower, they could have got one. 38 years and 6 Chiefs later, no platforms, tower ladders of any sort have been purchased. You also don't give the firefighters credit. They do have some input on apparatus specs as well. In 38 years, many FF have come and gone and they don't seem to be jumping up and down for an aerial platform as well.

To add onto what Joey has said. More like why would LAFD change something that has worked well for them for over 100 years. In looking at the historical pics from a century ago, the LAFD has continuously bought tiller ladders or city service ladder trucks that had 2 steering wheels. All their trucks have bent in the middle and had 2 steering wheels. I have seen pics of LAFD testing a LA County Tiller quint. Guess they did not like it as they never got one. Again, chances are, a quint doesn't fit into the department's needs and thus they never got one. That does not preclude LAFD from getting one maybe in the future, but so far all have been just tillers.

Phoenix is a much more open city than the streets of LA and thus they have more space to maneuver. I've been to Phoenix and the city is definitely more wide and open terrain than the streets of LA. If you think a tower ladder or any straight truck will fit through some of the streets in former Battalion 7 area, then I'm all for it. Some of those streets are narrow that a regular engine has clearance of just a few inches on both sides. While you may argue that FDNY encounters similar issues, they have used since the 60's so it's been a part of their operations. I really can't speak for LA City but LA County has gone through a chief and so far no ladder towers or platforms have resurfaced. The dept did get a few back in the late 80's/90's and I believe they may have 1 left in reserve. If you have noticed, dver the years, all the straight ladders/quints/tillers have been slowly replaced by tiller quints. LA City has gone over 43 years since the Crown Snorkels and they have not gotten another one aside from those 2 85' Snorkels. LAFD did try to buy a Seagrave Eagle platform back in 1964 but that was rejected. Unless the next fire chief is the FD equivalent of former LAPD Chief Bratton, but I'd doubt the next chief would rock the boat. /Rant

According to this news link, KME won the bid for 36 new Dodge squads. Not sure why KME want to bid on a utility truck and ship it across the country. However, I wonder if the squads will be built at their So Cal dealer. http://fire.kovatch.com/info/newswire/kme-receives-la-county-fd-rescue-order

It generally seems like the loyal Seagrave customers continue to buy Seagraves (i.e. Burbank and Pasadena). Albuquerque bought a large number of Seagraves recently. Otherwise, Seagrave seems to be overshadowed by KME and Pierce.

Unless something has changed, the light force runs with 6 members. The A/O, Captain II, 2 firefighters and the tiller man. The 200 series engine usually runs with just the Engineer. Sometimes the 200 series engine runs with a Engineer and a FF, the extra FF is there to help secure the water supply.