I just got out of a long meeting with San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Chief Tracy Jarman. The meeting was part of a broader project I’m working on, but I managed to nail down the latest on one subject I’ve been interested in for a while — all that fire equipment San Diego’s been promised.
As of today, Jarman said, all the city’s brush engines have been replaced — those are the fire engines that are used to fight fires in rural areas. Brush engines with open cabs have been replaced by engines with closed cabs, which Jarman said are much safer and more comfortable to ride on.
The city is also working on leasing several new structure engines — those are the fire engines used in urban areas. As of today, Jarman said, the Fire-Rescue Department has received eight new engines, four of which are actually working on city streets. There are eight more coming next summer, she said.
Coming in November are four new aerial ladders, Jarman said.
Jarman said the plan is to try and replace fire department apparatus every seven years, so that aging apparatus is taken out of the loop before it starts to wear down and need heavy maintenance. That’s something that hasn’t traditionally been done in the department, she said, but it’s something that’s long overdue.