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On November 12, 2004, a brand new, shiny,
white fire engine with red stripes pulled into the Grant Grove
Fire Station. “I’m so glad it’s finally
here,” said Larry Smith, Grant Grove Engine Captain.
“It’s been a long process to get a new engine,
but it was worth the wait.”
The new and improved “Engine-52”
will be used to support structural fire operations in Kings
Canyon National Park. In the past, the park had two wildland
engines (Engines 51 and 52) but could not provide initial
attack for buildings such as employee residences, private
homes, park facilities, hotel rooms, and cabins. Now, Engine
52 will respond to structural fires with a Volunteer Fire
Company (and, at times, assist if needed on wildland fires).
Engine 51 will continue to respond to wildland fires with
a full-time National Park Service crew.
“We didn’t buy this fire engine
off the showroom floor,” said David Bartlett, Kings
Canyon District Fire Management Officer. “It was designed
and built to navigate the narrow, twisty roads in our area
while still retaining all the capabilities of a larger piece
of equipment.” A team developed the specifications for
the engine based on what it needed to accomplish. They developed
a detailed list of features – everything from tank size
to the exact locations of hardware like discharges and intakes.
In the end, the engine holds 1,000 gallons of water (up from
500 gallons in the old engine) and is capable of pumping 1,500
gallons per minute, which is more pumping capacity than any
other engine in Sequoia or Kings Canyon.
The contract for building the engine was
awarded to a company called Ferrara Fire Apparatus, Inc. located
in Holden, Louisiana. Park staff worked closely with the company
throughout the construction process to ensure that everything
progressed smoothly. When it was finally done, Bartlett and
Smith traveled to Louisiana to inspect the engine before a
company representative drove it across the country for delivery.
It cost just under $195,000 and was paid for with Structural
Fire Equipment Replacement Funds.
“I'm proud of how so many people
worked together as a team to buy the right piece of equipment
so that we can fulfill our mission in the park,” said
David Bartlett. Help came from the National Interagency Fire
Center, the Pacific West Regional Contracting Office, and
the parks’ own contracting office.
In addition to all the serious uses
for this engine, the Grant Grove fire staff looks forward
to having some fun in an annual community event. The “homespun”
Grant Grove Fourth of July parade features Wilsonia residents
and NPS employees on bikes, golf carts, and wagons. “Our
new engine will certainly be a highlight in this year’s
parade,” laughs David Bartlett.
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