Military Vehicles, December 1996,: Re: Dumb question?
Re: Dumb question?
Gale Barrows (barrowsg@rapidnet.com)
Mon, 2 Dec 1996 12:19:02 -0700 (MST)
>Bill:
>
>You are right about drooling over the Forestry salvage yard. I wish I could
>stop by when I need something.
>
>I was very interested in the comments on the availability of surplus MVs for
>fire work in rural areas. I live in the Santa Monica mountains, site of
>several spectacular brush fires (including the one which got into Malibu 2 yrs
>ago with disasterous results -- lost over 200 homes). In the big fires we
>have had mobilization under Mutual Aid of up to 10k firefighters and all their
>trucks and gear. Military style logistics with big convoys of trucks from as
>far away as Texas and Washington State coming down the Interstates. In all
>of this logistical movement, I have seen very, very few military trucks.
Are
>they not available to California fire companies? Or are they too hard to
move
>the distances reguired when responding to Mutual Aid?
>
>The firefighters who came to help here did a fantastic job of saving homes
>under extreme conditions. There is a great deal of gratitude in the
>communities here and support for the fire services. Since I have some LA
>County fire personnel living on my local road, we got extra good protection.
>We can and will return the favor if needed.
>
>Hope you get your HMMWV soon,
>chuck
>
Check with the California state forestry department (may be under
agriculture)and ask them about the loans to local volunteer fre departments
of military vehicles. Or ask the neighbors who are on the paid fire
departments to check it out for you. "Remember, you too may qualify", for
these vehicles !!! You might want to check in to the possibilities of a
voluntyeer fire department in your neighborhood. Itis possible that, even
though paid departments exist for your area, volunteer departments may also
be formed and function as first responce units for the paid department and
as auxiliary units for that department. I have been talking this up to
potential VFD's for some time now as it is a way to get community
involvement (and comaraderie) and help protect the neighborhood without
having to rely solely on overworked government paid departments. You pointed
out the Malibu incident, a couple more trucks there at the start with
trained personel might have made a diference. And what is more, you would
beb helping keep historical military vehicles from the scrappers torch.
BTW- I was up in Susanville, CA, back in September and saw two fire rigs
builyt from HMMWV's there.