Day 6- March 14, 2007

I listened to Phoenix area fire department radio frequencies on an earplug all night. I only heard a few runs after I went to bed and no fires. The radio here is “wow” busy. Sometimes the Phoenix dispatcher will give out four, five or six runs without taking a breath between.

I left just before 0700 hours today. The sun had already risen and it was 61 when I departed. There was a ton of westbound I-10 traffic leaving the Phoenix area. It was rather slow until we got beyond Buckeye exit (about 30 miles west of Phoenix). I stopped in Quartzite for a Egg McMuffin. When I crossed the Colorado River and entered California at 0930 hours it was already 75 degrees.

I planned on getting into the greater empire area around 1230 hours and check into the motel around 1430 hours. It was really windy as I came through the Palm Springs area. I guess that’s pretty normal though as that area has the largest number of electric power generating windmills I’ve ever seen. There are thousands upon thousands of these huge windmills as you drive along I-10 between Palm Springs and Banning. The reason there are so many in this area is that there are two mountain ranges, one to the north and one to the south that create a wind tunnel effect between them.

I got of I-10 near Rancho Cucamonga, home of white apparatus with blue trim and home of possibly the worlds longest aerial ladder truck. I headed to Station 2 and met a very nice young firefighter who was a huge help. He explained that their regular engine was being used at the training facility for driver’s exams and that there were a number of pieces of apparatus at Station 4. He marked my old map with their new stations and was amazed at home many streets did not show up on my map (which is probably 8-10 years old).

After he pulled out the reserve engine, I headed to Station 4, which also houses the FD shops. I met the officer doing the testing and he told me I could take photos. I went out back to get some photos of a couple old reserve engines and Engine 172 (from Station 2). Then the officer got the station captain to come out to see me and ask what he could do for me. I told him I really wanted a photo of their (59-foot long) tandem-axle tractor-trailer aerial ladder truck. He got one of the guys to steer the till and they pulled it out for me. Then they pulled out Engine 174 for photos. The station is huge and was built in 1992.

I next headed to Station 5, home of Engine 175 (a Telesqurt) and Rescue 175. Their station was also built in 1992 and is situated near the foot of the mountains. I got no answer when I pushed their doorbell. I was about to pull out when I saw a huge Freightliner in back. It was Water Tender 175, a 2500-gallon tanker parked out back. As I walked up the hill to try and take photos I ran into the crew out back working on the Squad. They pulled it out front so I could get photos. They got a run as I was tahnking them for their help.

I headed to nearby Station 1, where the firefighter from Station 2 had told me they had just received a brand new engine. It was new alright. It had only been in service for five days! The crew there pulled it out for photos. It sure looked new by golly. What a great bunch of guys they have on the Rancho Cucamonga Fire Department. They were all very helpful and were proud to show off their equipment, which by the way, was all in fantastic shape. The reserve units looked like they were new too.

As it was 1400 hours I thought it best to head to my motel in Arcadia. I didn’t get to Station 3 (their HazMat was in the shops up on a hoist) or Station 6 (which only runs a brush engine right now). I got on I-210 and made it to the motel around 1440 hours. I was lucky that they had just cleaned a first-floor front-facing unit that overlooks the Santa Anita Race Track across the street. This is a very nice and safe area with very expensive homes. I feel very comfortable here. (Although I said the same thing about the Motel 6 I used to stay at in Rosemead, which I thought was a safe area eight years ago- that is until I saw a KTLA news report of a double homicide committed at the motel.)

1810 hours- LA City just dispatched an assignment to 1336 Westlake Avenue at Alverado, reported as a structure fire. The response was a mess as there were a number of units on the air close by that asked to be added to the assignment. Responding were E13, E15, E10, E11, LF15, LF11, LF10, RA811 and Bn 11.

1812 hours- Engine 13 reports they are on the scene with smoke showing, keep units responding emergency. It turned out to be a mattress fire with Engine 13 and LF 11 doing the work. Engine 11 is picking up their line. There are a number units filling in at LA City Stations while companies are on going on a drill. LF 10 was sent from the fire to Station 9 to fill in there while companies there drill.

After dropping off luggage at the motel I headed into Pasadena Station 33, home to their training tower. It seems like every time I drive by there are firefighters out back doing some sort of training. The same was true today except that they were using non-active reserve apparatus for the drills with probationary FF’s. Pasadena firefighters are on probation for a year and a half and usually drill four hours a day Mon-Fri. I got a few photos of a couple of Pasadena’s older Spartan/Ward 79 pumpers.

I headed by Station 32, but both the engine and truck were out. I needed to get gas so I looked for the cheapest I could find. It was at an Arco Station that was selling unleaded at $3.039/gallon. I saw prices for unleaded as high as $3.419. I gassed up but was astounded that you can’t use a credit card to buy gas out here. Only bank debit cards can be used at gas pumps here. I had to pay cash. No biggie, but it sure makes you wonder.

I headed for a nearby Ralph’s Super Market I’d stopped at before for food and picked up dinner from their deli. I got back to the motel around 1630 hours. Traffic on I-210 was at an absolute standstill as I went by it on the way back to the motel.

I’ll probably hold this report until later tonight to send (in case there are any fires this evening). It’s really hectic trying to monitor everything in the area. I have one whole Pro-96 program (10 banks of 50 channels) just set up for LA area fire operations. I have locked out the two Orange County trunked channel banks as they slow down the scanning too much and I don’t think they’ll come in too great way up here in LA County either.

That’s all for now- unless there are some fires.

Your Roving Reporter