Civil Defense Pumpers Play Important Role in California Disaster Operations
CD reserve apparatus maintained on ready status to provide immediate assistance to any community in need
CALIFORNIA fire officials are enthusiastic in their praise of the valuable use made of the state’s 100 civil defense fire trucks. The triple combination engines were purchased in 1952 and 1953, and the apparatus has proved valuable as a reserve and backstop for the state’s operating fire departments.
“Acquisition of this apparatus is one of the best bargains California’s taxpayers ever received,” commented one Southern California fire chief. “We now have a statewide well-equipped reserve for any type of fire emergency and an organization to get the equipment into action with minimum delay.”
Forty-three rigs were purchased in 1952 and 57 the following year. Total cost of each pumper was $13,732.94, of which the Federal government paid $5,500 plus $300 for freight, in what was then known as the fire apparatus “matching fund” program.
They are currently assigned thoughout the state with approximately equal numbers in northern and southern California.
Each has a 500-gallon tank with a 1,000-gpm pump and 285-lip motor. A unit carries 1,000 feet of 2 1/2-inch and 400 feet of 1 1/2-inch hose, 4-inch soft suction, 5-inch hard suction, ladders, portable generator and deluge gun, in addition to a varied selection of small equipment.
Each is painted red and is clearly numbered on the side and roof for easy aerial identification. Eighty of the units have been equipped with state frequency radios and the remainder will have installations completed next year. All apparatus is maintained and repaired in state prison shops. Despite high frequency of use, there have been only minor damages to date.
Harold P. Bowhay. chief of the California Disaster Office’s Fire and Rescue Service, lias been commended by fire executives throughout the state for his able administration of the fire enuipment. Bowhay is normally assisted by three field representatives, all highly qualified and trained chiefs. George Taylor heads Region I, which takes in 12 southern California counties, and Melvin Reiley is stationed at Region III, California Disaster Office Headquarters at Sacramento. Reiley also assists Chief Bowhay. The position at Region II, Berkeley, is vacant at present.
The Disaster Office assigns the apparatus to municipal and county fire departments, fire districts, the State Division of Forestry, state institutions and five are stationed in the service’s only pool at the California Institution for Men (minimum security prison) at Chino near Pomona. For example, CD 1 is assigned to the Modesto State Hospital, CD 47 to the San Anselmo Fire Department, CD 48 to Orange County Fire Department and CD 100 to the California Division of Foresty, Squaw Valley.
For use in emergencies
Agencies and departments accepting the equipment agree to dispatch the pumper with a minimum crew of two men to emergencies as needed under order of the area or regional fire chief. Many departments send larger crews. In turn, the agencies must house and maintain the apparatus. They may use it for mutual aid and greater alarms, but not for first-alarm fires. If a department’s own apparatus is out of service temporarily, the state pumper may be used as a stand-by.
When the City of Santa Maria’s fire station burned down in 1955 and that city’s fire equipment was destroyed, Santa Barbara County—with the approval of the State Disaster Office— dispatched two CD pumpers to provide protection for Santa Maria until replacement apparatus could be procured.
Each of the three regions is headed by a fire chief and then each region is broken into sectors and subdivided into areas. For example, Region I chief is L. A. County’s Keith E. Klinger. Chief Klinger is in charge of Sector A and other fire officials command the other three sectors. In Sector A there are eight areas, also in charge of various fire chiefs.
Each area chief can request movement of apparatus on mutual aid within his own area and clears with sector or regional commanders on outside areas. On the other hand, in an emergency, Disaster Office fire officials can request through sector and area commanders dispatch of the CD pumping equipment and also for regular equipment on mutual aid.
Value proven
This system has paid enormous dividends since its inception, particularly on many of the large and severe brush fires occurring in California during recent years. Chief Bowhay reports that the pumpers responded on approximately 1,100 fires during 1956 and 1957 alone, in which they helped save approximately $2,500,000 worth of property. This does not include value of property and watershed saved on brush and forest fires.
On the Lake Arrowhead Fire of 1957, CD pumpers were massed and credited with saving the community of Santa’s Village, an estimated value of $1,250,000. In the two years, CD pumpers were logged with 6,000 hours on fires and about 2,000 hours in training auxiliary firemen. First large-scale use of equipment came late in 1953, when 21 pumpers responded to the Monrovia Peak blaze in Los Angeles County.
Some of the large forest fires that the CD rigs have worked on are Fish Fork, Angeles National Forest, 18 pumpers; McGee Fire, Sequoia National Forest, 10; Santa Barbara (Refugio), 23; McKinley Fire, San Bernardino National Forest, 43; Malibu Fire, 35; Snowline, El Dorado, 8.
Although the pumpers were not specifically designed for brush or forest fire use, they have proved extremely useful. Chief Bowhay reports that during had brush fire seasons as many as 56 of the 100 rigs have been out on assignments at one time. Apparatus responding to Los Angeles area fires have come from as far away as Fresno, 200 miles distant.
Area fire chiefs are given much freedom in dispatch of equipment. For example, during the major brush fires in the Topanga Canyon and Benedict Canyon areas of Los Angeles this year, Chief William Haggard sent his own Ventura County equipment which was much better suited for the work, and filled empty houses with CD pumpers.
—L. A. County F. D. photo
—L. A. County F. D. photo
—L. A. County F. D. photo
Radio equipped
In addition to the state radios on the apparatus, local departments may install their own sets with the approval of the State Disaster Office. The Disaster Office has a number of handie-talkies stockpiled at various locations available for use on major fires.
A versatile statewide radio system is in operation for the fire service. The system uses microwave and repeaters and will allow, for example, Chief Taylor in his car in southern California to talk directly to Chief Bowhay in Sacramento headquarters. In some areas where the network is not completed, the Division of Forestry radio supplements communications.
Base stations are located in the CDO control centers, state fire marshal offices, fire department alarm headquarters and state forestry dispatching centers. The two latter sites serve as day-to-day mutual aid and provide 24-hour, year-around dispatching service.
The system is a cross-channel one which can be used for base to base, base to mobile, mobile to base and mobile to mobile. Base and mobiles transmit on 33.98 mc to the relay where the signal is retransmitted on 153.77 mc.
Additional base stations are installed in mobile fire communications units and in the mobile communication centers of the CDO attack and warning divisions.
One of the five mobile communications units for the fire service is in operation and was used on several watershed fires last year. This unit will be stationed in southern California for the fire season. Four other units are to be completed by October 1. These trucks are former Army machine shop 4 x 4s, with 14 two-channel radio sets. Work on cabinets, etc., is being done by state prison labor. Each unit will tow a 7½kw generator.
In addition, five former Army ambulance units are also under construction to be used with the mobile communications fire units as relays when needed. The Disaster Office fire service also has stockpiled throughout the state 100,000 feet of 6-inch aluminum pipe which can be quick-coupled. It is placed at key sites where transportation is available. The fire service also has 29 heavy rescue units.
