Rescue51

I am normally very pro-LE almost to a fault. But this one is bothersome. The irony of what our nation was supposed to be. Firefighter helping victims of crash with American flag on his yellow turnout arrested by CHP over placement of fire rig. Mr.Chippie is lucky the firefighter complied cuz sometimes you can't draw that Taser quick enough to prevent opponent from placing said Taser in place normally not used for department policy holstering of device. Many LE agencies don't care for CHP who often think they are superior gods to all others. I'd like to see CHP handle much of what SDSO or SDPD must with only a one-man unit at night (unlike CHP). Most officers/deputies understand professional courtesy extended to other first responders: NOT CHP. Maybe when CHP puts out a request for FD because one of their new Ford Explorer Police Interceptors is smoking under the hood, it might take a really long time for first-in pumper and then the engineer will need to get the rig parked just right. The officer from CHP in question needs a big EGO ADJUSTMENT I can tell you this, if firefighters had not been busy, that CHP officer might have had 5 of them to arrest. I know had I been the fire chief, that CHP officer would need 5 more officers to deal with me before getting cuffs on one of my troops! http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/05/firefighter-chp-handcuffed-freeway

Good points "joeyk48"...thanks!

Thanks for that information "Generic." I too heard that. My understanding was most the scene was in the center divide. Multiple agencies responded to the incident (SDFD and Chula Vista FD). Maybe there was confusion about which direction the TC was and the engineer in question (likely with the captain's concurring) stopped the rig from the direction they accessed the scene from to best start patient triage/care and fire prevention. Many agencies do the turn-around going to next off-ramp and coming back in direction of the TC. Recall that limo fire in San Mateo, my understanding was a fire rig (I believe it *MAY* have been a truck without pump/tank) would have arrived much sooner had they stopped in center divide, got CHP to stop traffic, and then accessed scene where limo was on RH side. This would be a hazardous situation and was likely too late in game to affect any rescue/lifesaving of those women who burned up in limo cabin. My point is simply that if a fire rig has to do the turn to get back into the right direction, then get stuck in the stop-and-go traffic, this can make the difference if someone is bleeding out, or a vehicle is catching on fire.

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=9458078

Nice catch and account Old Medevac. Not long ago a Santee fire captain called for "code cover" and everyone was rolling. The BC came up on radio and was rolling and got there about the same time as SDSO. I heard by the time the suspect had been Taser'd, about 8 patrol units were there with others rolling including CHP and ECPD into the Santee City area SDSO is on contract for. Same for any officer in trouble, I know the FF's and EMT's out there would help in a heartbeat.

Thank you!

I noticed in the Ferrara Fire Apparatus website for new deliveries they had a nice walk-around rescue rig with captioning that it was delivered to San Diego County Fire Authority. It appeared to have the Cal Fire stickers on it too. Does anyone know where that one is stationed? Also, It seems that San Diego County Fire has not made the progress I would have expected after the politicians who wanted the camera and microphone, vowed to give us local asset protection, post Cedar (2003) and Witch Creek Fires (2007). Example, it would almost appear the Cuyamaca volunteer Fire Department (part of Julian FD) is going away. The new Cal Fire station was built right next to it. The rescue rig Cuyamaca Fire had was taken back by the country. The former chief is gone. I am wondering if anyone can update on Cuyamaca Fire and as well what is really going on with the so-called San Diego County Fire Authority? It seems there is more stealth then information on this issue. Thanks in advance!

Hi "old medevac" and I agree 100%. As the good Sergeant Phil Esterhaus from Hills Street Blues use to say at end of roll call: "Hey, let's be careful out there." The majority of CHP officers are greats guys/gals. The one who arrested the CVFD engineer was out of line but I am sure he reflects on that now and will keep his ego in-check on the next one. I still am not sure perhaps IF THERE WERE any other prior run-ins between the subject officer and FF and they just did not like each other. Don't know. If a cop is in trouble, it will be a firefighter who will jump in and help him/her, and vice versa.

Pierce's Facebook page is posting a picture of the new Pierce PUC pumper for Lemon Grove station 10's, for E10. Nice new rig. Looks to me to have the same specs as El Cajon E8 and the recently delivered E6. https://www.facebook.com/Pierce This is what I posted in that page: "That is going to the City of Lemon Grove, east of downtown San Diego. Lemon Grove is now part of the consortium of Heartland Fire & Rescue comprised of El Cajon and La Mesa too. A few years back Lemon Grove was in some kind of quasi merger with then San Miguel Fire (use to be Spring Valley Fire Protection District). That marriage did not go well. With the Great Recession of 2007, like many cities/FD's, Lemon Grove was not fairing too well. The merger into Heartland likely has helped all the participants well. Not long ago San Miguel Fire was taken over by Cal Fire (because they were not gonna meet payroll if they continued). The pumper above looks just like same one spec'd and delivered to El Cajon 6's, and 8's." "Light bar on that is the cool LED but has a white intersection strobe in corner which really gets the attention of cross-traffic."

That's an interesting looking rig. Now lots of room for additional firefighters. 6 x 6 all-wheel drive. Wonder what the price points are? http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/2014/02/oshkosh-debuts-storm-aircraft-rescue-and-firefighting-vehicle.html

If they are part of the "team" then a particular officer (and any others willing to imitate him), better shape up or ship out to another line of work, not part of the team, when they are willing to arrest firefighters/medics (team members) doing patient triage/care at a serious MVA, all over where a fire rig is positioned. Honestly, I don't see that arresting CHP officer as a team player.

I've talked to 3 SDPD friends all retired in the last 10 years. All of them said without hesitation the CHP officer's actions of arresting the Chula Vista FD engineer, was ridiculous and out-of-line. One former Station-A guy said "problem with CHP is they act like gods and think they own everyone else." I know that is not true for all CHP officers. Hopefully some too-assertive CHP officers will get more humble out of the incident. And now very sadly I must report today near Fresno, 2 CHP officers lost their lives in the same cruiser that rolled over. They were responding to another crash and believe made a turn opposite direction and may have swerved to avoid debris or another vehicle involved in the prior crash. I had also read in the CHP CAD from Fresno in the 0400+ hr, fog alert logged. CHP's MAIT is on-scene and the roadway expected to be closed all day. Crash happened in 0600 hr.

I'd be curious whether subject CHP officer and CVFD firefighter-engineer had any prior contact/history. Additionally, did CHP officer receive any directive from higher command to move or arrest engineers for fire rigs they wanted moved?

Here's the video on YouTube taken from KFMB-8 in San Diego. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRw6RVNHLz0

In all due respect, I don't think I need to wait for the political spin which will be used to try and polish the facts. The facts reside in a most binary way right in the video from KFMB News 8 and now all over the 'Net. The engineer/firefighter was rendering med aid to patients of a MVA with his pumper protecting all of them and a CHP officer needing an EGO adjustment arrested firefighter putting patients at further risk. I wonder if CHP higher command issued the order? The goal by CHP was not as much about safety as to keep the flow going for motorists. The CHP was very wrong!

http://www.10news.com/news/chula-vista-city-council-approves-fire-facility-master-plan-012814

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/San-Diego-Reserve-Fire-Rigs-Getting-Back-on-Line-242500081.html

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/23/mission-valley-fire-station/ Ground-breaking for Mission Valley fire station By Pauline Repard10:59 a.m.Jan. 23, 2014 MISSION VALLEY — City officials held ground-breaking ceremonies Tuesday for an $11.1 million, 16,290-square-foot fire station to serve Mission Valley. The new, two-story Station 45 on the north side of Friars Road at Mission Village Drive is expected to be completed by mid-or late 2015. San Diego fire Chief Javier Mainar and other officials attend the ground-breaking for a 16,2290-square foot fire station in Mission Valley. — Mauarice Luque, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department It will include 16 dormitory rooms and five garage bays to house a new $1.2 million fire truck, an engine, ambulance, and the Hazardous Materials Response Team that is currently located in Mira Mesa. The building will replace a modular trailer for a single engine and crew located in the Qualcomm stadium parking lot since 2006 to serve a more than 4-square-mile area of Mission Valley. Interim Mayor Todd Gloria attended the ceremony along with San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Chief Javier Mainar, Public Works Director James Nagelvoort and several city council members. Mainar said the current modular station and adjoining tent covering for the fire engine posed some issues for the firefighters’ living conditions. He called the construction project on Mission Valley’s first permanent fire station “exciting and long overdue.” Mainar also said the centralized location will better serve the area. Currently, crews stationed in Normal Heights often respond to fires and medical calls in the valley. Of the estimated $11.1 million in project costs, $3.7 million comes from a bond approved by the City Council last year. The remaining funds came from developer impact fees collected on other projects in Mission Valley, a fire department spokesman said. Another bond, approved by the council this month, designates funds to replace fire stations in Point Loma, Hillcrest and City Heights and to acquire land for new stations on Home Avenue and on Skyline Drive in the southeastern part of the city.

In another news site they report this new station will house the HAZMAT rig and team.

Noticed for a few months now (it seems) that Santee's first-in E4 has been running the older E204 reserve Pierce. It even sports some new rear warning lights (looks like strobes). Just wondering what happened to their newer E4 which I believe was a YR2004 Pierce? Thanks!

I got information directly from Chief Leigh that the reason they placed the former reserve Pierce (1996), E204, into front-line status while placing the newer 2004 Pierce pumper E4 back as E204 was because the mileage on the newer pumper was approaching the mileage on the older pumper. They want to exhaust the usage or mileage off of the older Pierce while they can. As they do that, at some point they will place the 2004 back into front-line status. I prompted the chief on some other issues: Truck 4 is in fact again and he said they are starting the budget calculations for a replacement hopefully within 3 years. On Rescue 5, no plans for any replacement of that prior to the truck. I did not get to prompt him on Brush 4 which is also likely getting up there in age/miles. I did prompt on whether Santee's planned Station 20 will still be developmented now that Fanita Ranch's housing development is delayed or stalled. He said for right now there is no plan to continue with Station 20. -Rescue51

Too bad, ALF had a real legacy. It seems Pierce has fought the competitive wars and has solid grounding. It seems to me KME is trending up in $ales though still needs to work out some quality issues. I am not sure where E-One is going, it seems they have been fairly flat though I hope to see them sell well. Spartan, Seagrave, Sutphen, Ferrara, and Smeal seem to all be that next tier of manufacturers. A bit of interesting recent history on ALF from Wikipedia, I was hoping they were gonna survive: "In 1995, the company was bought by Freightliner LLC, which is a subsidiary of Daimler AG. Freightliner continued to utilize American LaFrance's original nameplates and designations including the Eagle custom chassis. Many of their Liberty products are built on Freightliner LLC M2 or Sterling Acterra chassis. ALF has additional manufacturing facilities in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, Sanford, Florida, and Hamburg, New York. As of 2005, they are the fifth largest manufacturer of emergency vehicles in North America. "In December 2005, it was announced that Freightliner had transferred the ownership of American LaFrance to the New York-based investment firm, Patriarch Partners, LLC. The headquarters and main plant in Ladson, South Carolina were not included in the transaction. However, Patriarch Partners were allowed to use the plant until early 2007, when DaimlerChrysler began using the plant for assembly of the Dodge Sprinter. Under new ownership ALF relocated within the Charleston, South Carolina, area in summer 2007 to a brand new facility, including manufacturing and corporate HQ, with nearly 500,000 sq ft (50,000 m²) of total space. "On January 28, 2008, American LaFrance filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection blaming problems with implementation of a new IBM enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.[2] On July 25, 2008, the company emerged from bankruptcy with a revised business plan to transfer the firetruck body building portion of the business to the remaining Hamburg, NY, (formerly RDMurray Inc.) and Ephrata, PA, (formerly Ladder Towers Inc.) facilities. The Summerville, SC plant continued to manufacture fire truck cab and chassis, but focused on vocational vehicles and the Condor vehicle line. On January 17, 2014, the company announced it was ceasing operations.[3]" -Rescue51

A couple weeks back I noticed at Station 4's (SDFD) the PIERCE USAR rig parked where the regular Rescue 4 (KME) should be. In the last few days Heartland has dispatched Santee's Rescue 4 on two SDFD incidents, one involving a hiker on Cowles Mountain. Does anyone know what is going on with Rescue 4? I've not seen them on some of these incidents.

I've watched the video and while I have not seen a weapon (other than the vehicle perp crashed) it does appear as though perp's hands motion in a way as he exits vehicle, as though he could be grabbing a weapon. My other question is why he retreats to his back position from car, running to the trunk and around other side, and not why suspect did not run away forward from driver's side to front. It almost looked like he was running to place car between him and officers for any kind of firing position. My other key question is since there were multiple agencies involved, did LAPD get any kind of communication that suspect said he had weapon or was known to carry one, or made any threats against officers? I did hear chatter Monday that one officer may have fired a bean bag projectile and the other officers were not aware of that, and the blast noise caused other officers to assume "shots fired."

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/nov/19/balboa-ambulance-raided-fbi-agents-warrant/