After waiting for more than a year, Joshua Tree fire fighters finally got a present for the new year—a brand new fire engine to replace their 14-year-old fire truck. The fire fighters made a caravan of their three trucks to San Bernardino to pick up the new engine and drove it back home to Station 36 on Park Boulevard last Thursday. Managing editor Tami Roleff says the fire fighters didn’t even make it back to their station in Joshua Tree before they were called out on a fire…
“We were in service about five minutes and broke a structure fire on the first call.” County Fire Engineer Dave Faller said they responded to a fire in Yucca Valley January 9, in which a malfunctioning water heater started a fire in the garage. Fire Captain Jon Garber said the engine was in front of the Joshua Tree Playhouse when they got the call. “We pulled over, got dressed, and then went there.” Garber said the new engine came fully equipped with everything they need to fight fires, including some items they didn’t have on their old engine. “What we didn’t have on the other fire truck and we do now is our rope rescue gear.” The engine also has a pump system that lets it pump water out of pools or ponds, directly to its hoses, or to store in its 500-gallon water tank. Another new feature is a Stokes basket, used to rescue and lift patients. Since Joshua Tree’s Station 36 is a county-run station, the County will decide what to do with their old fire truck.
