LACoFD Patrols

[41engine41 3]

Anybody have any knowledge as to what determines if a patrol is staffed and responds with the engine on all calls?

It seems that some patrols, ie: patrol 70 and patrol 144 and patrol 128 and 97 and 79 always respond on calls with the engines.Where as others, such as patrol 71 never seem to respond at all. Never herd patrol 71 respond at all actually whereas patrol 70 is always out and about and on the air.

Also do the patrols, actually patrol? or do they sit on the station with the engine waiting on calls?

 

Cheers.

[mesabill 18]

Most LACoFD Patrols are normally staffed with one person and respond as part of the Engine Co. Or Quint Co. they share station with, I believe they increase staff on them on high fire weather days, and for type 6 strike teams.

[Stinger 2]

Didn’t they get a few type 3 

[41engine41 3]

thanks. maybe Patrol 71 just never gets mentioned but does respond. Yes they did get some type 3s, not sure where they are or whether they are even operational yet.

[Ayatollah 2]

I'm not sure if you're aware, but many of the patrols for LACoFD are not staffed on a day-to-day basis. Generally speaking, the patrols you hear on a regular basis being dispatched to rescues, or adding themselves to calls, are the ones staffed 24/7. Since the majority of engines are three-person, the patrol firefighter essentially is the fourth person and hence, get added to the call. In a few instances, the firefighter staffing the patrol, also cross-staffs a water tender.

The unstaffed patrols will get staffed under certain situations when augmented due to weather or to create Type 6 strike teams. In the aforementioned circumstances, the patrols are staffed with a captain and firefighter. This will also occur with the "normally staffed" patrols which have a captain added to their staffing. Under non-augmented staffing conditions, the stations with unstaffed patrols will occasionally cross-staff their patrol for responses in areas that have rough or narrow road conditions. 

[41engine41 3]

58 minutes ago, Ayatollah said:

I'm not sure if you're aware, but many of the patrols for LACoFD are not staffed on a day-to-day basis. Generally speaking, the patrols you hear on a regular basis being dispatched to rescues, or adding themselves to calls, are the ones staffed 24/7. Since the majority of engines are three-person, the patrol firefighter essentially is the fourth person and hence, get added to the call. In a few instances, the firefighter staffing the patrol, also cross-staffs a water tender.

The unstaffed patrols will get staffed under certain situations when augmented due to weather or to create Type 6 strike teams. In the aforementioned circumstances, the patrols are staffed with a captain and firefighter. This will also occur with the "normally staffed" patrols which have a captain added to their staffing. Under non-augmented staffing conditions, the stations with unstaffed patrols will occasionally cross-staff their patrol for responses in areas that have rough or narrow road conditions. 

thats great info many thanks. Made it a lot clearer now. 

[RicardoBerg 8]

The department did get a total of 6 type 3 engines for the mainland besides the 3 type 3's stationed on Santa Catalina Island and they need to be placed in service asap due to the current situation that we're having with more Santa Ana's being forcasted and no rain in the immediate future.