San Bernardino County Fire (SBCoFD) has recently received four new Boise Mobile Equipment (BME) Type III Brush Engines. The apparatus have been delivered and are being updated, labeled and then deployed to area fire stations. Just this week Brush Engine (BE) 10 was placed into service at Fire Station 10 in the community of Phelan.
Type III Apparatus aka “Brush Engines” are apparatus specifically designed and equipped to fight vegetation fires. The engines are four-wheel drive, have a short wheel base & carry an equipment inventory to fight brush fires.
The new apparatus will replace older apparatus, and will serve our urban interface areas. The engines are “cross-staffed” by station crews when a vegetation fire is dispatched. Besides local responses, the engines also provide mutual-aid response throughout the State of California. #SBCoFD provides strike team responses throughout the state to wildfires through agreements with local, state and federal agencies. A “Strike Team” is 5 similar engines, with common communication and a leader. The four new apparatus join three other new BME apparatus placed into service in 2019. All seven are the same specification, make/mode & equipment for operational consistency.
San Bernardino County Fire’s Apparatus Committee designed the Type III Engines from the ground up. The committee determined the optimal chassis, fire pump, light package & compartment configuration to ensure the new apparatus meets our mission. Once the comprehensive spec was written, a competitive bid process was completed & a bid awarded to BME. Crews worked with BME for the year long build, monitoring & inspecting each apparatus multiple times. The new apparatus carry 500 gallons of water, feature a two-stage 500 GPM fire pump, auxiliary pump for pump & roll and an extensive hose compliment. With the apparatus responding locally and regionally, emphasis was also put on safety, storage space & cab comfort. Once the apparatus were complete at BME’s shop, the apparatus committee traveled to BME’s factory to complete a rigorous inspection to ensure the vehicle was built to NFPA & #SBCoFD’s specs. Crews went line by line through the spec prior to arranging for delivery. Once delivered, #SBCoFD fire mechanics completed fabrication, tool mounting and outfitting.
The new Brush Engines will be stationed at the below locations:
- Fire Station 79 – City of Fontana, CA – City Government
- Fire Station 10 – Community of Phelan
- Fire Station 26 – Community of Twin Peaks
- Fire station 232 – City of San Bernardino Municipal Government
