Day 5- March 13, 2007

As the rooms adjacent to me were not being used last night, I left my scanner run on low volume overnight (normally I use an earphone). I still didn’t hear much action, but it might be because I slept so soundly. The night before I was worried about the car and didn’t sleep all that well.

I checked out of the motel around 0630 hours (temperature 42 and windy) and jumped on I-25 southbound for my favorite driving segment of the trip. I-25 south of Albuquerque follows the Rio Grande River with a mountain range on the east side of the river and I-25 and lesser mountain ranges on the west side. There is very little traffic using this interstate, which ends in Las Cruces. It is so picturesque along the entire route. There are only a couple fair-sized towns along the route- Socorro and Truth or Consequences. I stopped in Truth or Consequences for an Egg McMuffin breakfast (55 degrees)

I always take the “Hatch cutoff” (State Route 26), which connects I-25 with I-10 at Deming, NM. It saves over 40 miles from the trek if you go all the way south to Las Cruces and then join I-10. SR 26 has a 65mph speed limit (not bad) and has very few vehicles using it. I only had to pass one Ma & Pa Kettle house trailer and a slow moving tractor on the 50-mile single land road. When I got into Deming it was 64 degrees.

As I am writing this report, Glendale has a working fire at 4301 W. Cholla (1808 hours). They just added some extra equipment to the “2 and 1 assignment” already on the scene.

I started picking up Rural Metro radio in the Tucson area almost 40 miles east of Tucson. A short while later Tucson started coming in. Both were fairly busy- mostly medicals. I made pretty good time and arrived in Tucson at 12:30PM MST. The State of Arizona does not go on Daylight Savings Time and they are now an hour behind Albuquerque.

I stopped at Tucson Station 10, which used to also house the departments training academy. All of that area (except the station) has been sold to a beer distributor. What is really interesting is that Engine 10, Ladder 10, and HM-10 (all make up the Tactical Rescue Team) are moving into a new Station 22 at Alvernon Way and Valencia. Station 10 will be remodeled and still be home to Engine 10, but with a different crew and rig.

I got photos of Truck 10’s brand new rig and Ladder-Tender 10. Engine 10 was using an old reserve piece. There were no old rigs parked out back like there used to be. The new combined police-fire training academy area is way out on Pima Road by the prison. Maybe I’ll try and stop there on the way back thru.

I got back on I-10, which throughout the entire Tucson area is just a disaster. I can’t remember a time it was not under construction. Traffic was horrific all the way to the north suburbs (mostly 45mph speed limits). I picked up Tucson and Rural Metro traffic for well over 40 miles as I headed towards Phoenix. (In case you can’t see me, I’m getting on my soapbox now) I CAN NOT believe that there are only two lanes of traffic between Phoenix and Tucson- as busy as that segment of I-10 is. You pass crosses along the roadside every couple of miles. It makes you wonder how many of those lives might be saved if there were just one more lane on this very dangerous stretch. Yes, it is a flat stretch of roadway, but there is so much traffic using this route and a there are a ton of semi trucks going at different speeds. It always seems like 80% of the traffic is in the left hand lane! (I’m off the soapbox now)

I arrived in Phoenix around 1430 hours and ran into more horrific traffic along I-10 (and more construction). I got off at the Baseline exit as I’m staying at the Studio 6 just north of Baseline and on the west side of I-10. I checked in, unloaded some luggage and headed off to my current protectors at new Phoenix Station 32. I’m actually in Tempe, but PFD Engine 32 will beat Tempe Engines 272 and 277 in here any day of the week. I was disappointed that they had a reserve engine. I got a station photo, but it really should be a morning shot (maybe next week when I’m here).

I headed to Tempe Station 72, home of Engine 272, Engine 277, the HazMat, and Special Operations team. Engine 272 had broken down and was in for service so I got photos of Engine 277 and the State purchased Special Incident vehicle. I headed down to see new Tempe Station 76 near the U of A Tempe Campus. I was amazed at the gorgeous new facility. It has porch decks around the outside of the second floor living area. They had spectacular views when they first moved in. Now there are two huge, multi-story condo towers going up which block the view to the north and east.

They pulled out the fairly new Bronto tower, which they’d had a minor accident with earlier in the shift. I had to take the good side, even though the other side had better light. I’ll try and get them again when I return. Just a little Tempe FD History. Tempe Station 1 (71)used to be located about a mile east of new Station 6 (76). At one time they had Engine 71, Engine 75, Ladder 71, Rescue 71, Ladder Tender 71 and the Tempe Battalion Chief. Then they opened a new station in the NW corner of Tempe and moved Engine 75 (275) into that station. Engine 76 (276) was added at Station 1 after that (there had been an Engine 76 (276) at Station 2, but that now became Engine 77 (277) at Station 2. Then a new Station 1 was opened on Apache Road (about a half mile south and east of old Station 1. Engine 71 (271) moved into that station with the Tempe Battalion Chief. Engine 76 (276) and Ladder 71 (which then became Ladder 76) remained in the old station until the new station was finished a mile west. Hope all of that wasn’t too confusing for you.

I’m heading out early tomorrow morning for the Los Angeles area. I’ll be staying up in the Arcadia area at a motel across the street from the Santa Anita Race Park. It’s just a gorgeous area with mountains just to the north and some very nice suburban areas between Arcadia and LA City. The motel is also in close proximity to Pasadena.

That’s all for now.

Your Roving Reporter