[Saints News] LSFD's New Fleet

[Barriss]

 

 

 

 



  

LSFD's New Fleet

Aska Redan

 

The Los Santos fire department recently got some much-needed upgrades to their aging fleet of fire engines and emergency vehicles. After weeks of waiting, these new vehicles are ready to service the fine city of Los Santos.

I spoke with Fire Chief Chloe MacKenzie on the acquisition of the new fleet. She detailed to me briefly that, "We've been waiting for some time to get these new trucks. They arrived early this morning and I'm rather excited to show them off!"
 
She later took me into her office and gave me a brief but detailed rundown of her new fleet. Her enthusiasm for the new trucks and serving the people of LS was palpable. Most of these new assets are on modern and updated Vapid Chassis, so expect speedy response times in the coming years.
 
We started with possibly the most iconic of all fire engines: the ladder truck.



 

 

"This is our ladder truck, call signed Quint-1. It's a combined fire engine and ladder truck. It carries 500 gallons of water, a 105' tower ladder and lots of technical rescue equipment." , Chief MacKenzie said of the machine.

This new red monster of a truck is the pride and joy of the Los Santos Fire Department, so much so that this reporter was allowed to be one the first non-FD staff to be given a ride. And to my childhood pleasure, allowed to turn the sirens on before we departed the station.  From high-rises to little Billy's cat being stuck in a tree, put your mind at ease because Quint-1 will be on the scene.
 
Following that, I was introduced to their Brush Patrol fleet. These smaller more agile and nimble engines are to be used for rural calls and combating wildfires as well as search and recuse operations out in the rugged terrain of Blaine county. Expect to see them out and about during this late summer season. Alongside the brush patrol, they have the Swift Water Rescue Vehicle, an oddity among this fleet as it's the only one that houses a boat and other water rescue equipment.  Shockingly one the few non-Vapid additions to the fleet are the Bravado Ambulances.

 

 

 



 

 

Chief MacKenzie said about the new ambulances, "While the chassis is newer and built for speed, much of the interior equipment remains. But with the newer framework and great visibility provided by LED Lights and reflectors they should increase response times significantly."

Last but not least, they have some of the more street legal but modified Vapid line of Caracara pick-up trucks. These won't be on the scene fighting anything smaller than a beach bonfire but will often be at scenes serving as a point of contact to EMS, Police, and other Fire Departments to coordinate their efforts in large-scale emergencies. 

Chief MacKenzie has high hopes for these new trucks. Her beaming smile and desire to show her new additions off to me is a mark of someone who enjoys their job. 

When asked if she expects the new fleet to improve the FD's ability to respond to emergencies she said, "Drastically. This has been over a year in testing and evaluation. I visited several different manufacturers and fire departments across the southwest to learn about these new vehicles. We had a severe lack of specialized and everyday equipment. It was old and out-dated, and some just didn't fit our specifications. So the new additions to the fleet will be a huge improvement in providing fire, rescue, and medical services to the city and people.

 

 

 



 

 

In the coming years, these vehicles will be invaluable in providing prompt assistance whenever and wherever needed in Los Santos and Blaine County. Saints News would like to thank Chief MacKenzie and the other Fire Department staff for providing access to view their new fleet, and we also thank them for their service and professionalism while on duty.

  

 

 

Saints News

Edited September 20, 2019 by Barriss