VIDEO: San Francisco city leaders are working on new legislation to help firefighters begin replacing their aging fleet. Some of the vehicles are 50 years old. Now department and city leaders say they need to change the law to make sure firefighters can get what they need.
With more than 800,000 residents in San Francisco, emergencies are commonplace and fire vehicles, including a 1990s-era engine at Station 38, roll out at all hours of the day and night. That puts a lot of miles on these vehicles that the department has had for decades in many cases. A hose tender at Station 38 was manufactured in the 1970s, and would almost certainly have to be called upon in the case of a major earthquake or disaster. The city’s fire chief, Dean Crispen, said San Francisco needs newer trucks.
“It’s really important because they’re running all day,” said Chief Crispen. “They’re very busy. We live in earthquake country. There are a lot of chances for a large fire, so we need our apparatus to constantly be functional.” Now a pair of new laws, if they get signed, are making their way through City Hall. One allows wealthy benefactors to step up and donate money for new vehicles. The other would allow the fire department to deal directly with fire equipment manufacturers to fast-track deals.
