LA Co FD: More Apparatus Then They Can Staff!

[Guest]

Man I thought we had a lot in NYC. These guys have more rigs than guys to staff them! Look at this list!

http://www.lacountyfire.com/modules.php?name=Apparatus

[MoFire390 118]

That's a lot of rigs. I couldn't help but notice that the web site said "the unofficial website" what makes it unofficial? Does LA county not know about the website? I find that hard to believe if its true.

[IzzyEng4 427]

That's a lot of rigs. I couldn't help but notice that the web site said "the unofficial website" what makes it unofficial? Does LA county not know about the website? I find that hard to believe if its true.

More than likely it a site owned either by a firefighter for LACo or a buff. Scroll to the bottom of the main page and read the disclaimer on the bottom, that will give you your answer.

[Guest]

FDNY has buff sites that are more accurate than the info we have at work.

[IzzyEng4 427]

FDNY has buff sites that are more accurate than the info we have at work.

Work withholding info from us, no it can't be!!!! LOL

[Future Fireman 4]

You have to remember they staff differently over there. For example, a LA county Light Force (which are only a small part of the dept.) is comprised of a 2 Man Engine and a 4 Man Truck. The companies are dispatched together. The reasoning behind this is that they always have water with them.

Also, some of the apparatus are cross staffed. Does it work? For them, yes. If we were to attempt how they run, it obviously wouldn't work because of different SOPs/SOGs.

Mike

[RescueKujo 130]

More than likely it a site owned either by a firefighter for LACo or a buff. Scroll to the bottom of the main page and read the disclaimer on the bottom, that will give you your answer.

Izzy is correct. The site is owned by a Captain for the LACoFD. Lots of info, photos and a great forum that has members from all over the world. Also remember, the area covered by LA County FD is bigger than some states in the Northeast.

Here's a few photos of LA County FD Copter 18 taken at the American Heroes Airshow in July.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

The website is not nearly as good as www.fdnytrucks.com. I think that is the end all be all when it comes to large city apparatus buff sites.

[RescueKujo 130]

Here's some examples of LA County's apparatus. Primarily KME for the engines and trucks, though a few other manfacturers still in the inventory due to contracted cities picked up in the last few years. The black over red on Engine 126 signifies the CAFS system on the rig. Only a few engines have it.

[JBE 328]

They actually have fewer units than FDNY. They have I think 4 light forces, whereas LA CITY has a bunch more. In some of the more isolated areas, they have Call Firefighters(Volunteers paid per run) staff either equipment or the entire station. Granted the info provided on that site isn't as detailed as Mike Martinelli's, it's still a cool site to pick up some info on the Major League of the West Coast. They are big on quints, bigger on tillers, and have some other advances in communications/dispatching that I would love to have at my disposal if the need arose. I got tons of pictures from out there, and maybe next year another LA out and about is in order.

Edited August 13, 2008 by JBE

[Future Fireman 4]

They actually have fewer units than FDNY. They have I think 4 light forces, whereas LA CITY has a bunch more. In some of the more isolated areas, they have Call Firefighters(Volunteers paid per run) staff either equipment or the entire station. Granted the info provided on that site isn't as detailed as Mike Martinelli's, it's still a cool site to pick up some info on the Major League of the West Coast. They are big on quints, bigger on tillers, and have some other advances in communications/dispatching that I would love to have at my disposal if the need arose. I got tons of pictures from out there, and maybe next year another LA out and about is in order.

LAFD actually has many, many Task Forces, which are light forces and a fully staffed engine comprise. LACoFD has about 4 or 5 light forces. No Task Forces in the county as far as I know.

Mike

Edited August 13, 2008 by Future Fireman

[JBE 328]

Actually, LA Co has 2 Task Forces. 8's in West Hollywood and 82's up north. That also counts as two of the light forces.

The other two are 127's (Where Emergency! was filmed) and either 181's or 110's.

[JM15 386]

What are task forces and light task forces?

[RescueKujo 130]

What are task forces and light task forces?

Terms used by LAFD and LA County FD to designate resources. Mainly LAFD, but as Jimmy stated LA County FD has a few due to resource needs in specific communities.

1)A Task Force is an engine, a truck and another engine assigned to the truck within a single station. Manning is a 4 man engine and 6 firefighters divided between the truck and 2nd engine. May be 5 and 1 or 4 and 2, Captain's decision. 2nd engine is with the truck in case the 1st engine is on another response (Med Aid, any other type of single engine response), that way the truck always has a source of water with it immediately.

2) Light Force is the truck and engine in one station. Other information is as above.

[x635 4,066]

The reason that both LAFD and LACoFD have so many pieces of apparatus is not only related to staffing, it is related to the diverse amount of incidents they respond on.

For example, besides the routine suppresion units, they have a variety of specialized units. Some of these units are staffed full time, some are staffed "in season", and some units are reserved for when an actual incident occurs or major disasters. USAR units for earthquakes, dozers for brush fires, and swift water rescue units are some of the "as-needed" staffed apparatus.

Also take into account that Los Angeles is a HUGE, spread out area, and it may take a couple of hours to get from one end of the county to another, so that also factors in to how many apparatus there is.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

Does anyone have the total number for LACoFD apparatus from engines to ladders, rescues to brush units, trailers to squads, chief cars to staff cars and anything in between as compared to FDNY?

[x635 4,066]

Does anyone have the total number for LACoFD apparatus from engines to ladders, rescues to brush units, trailers to squads, chief cars to staff cars and anything in between as compared to FDNY?

That's comparing apples to oranges. Even though they are the largest FD's in the country, it's like two seperate worlds.

[Goose 188]

That's comparing apples to oranges. Even though they are the largest FD's in the country, it's like two seperate worlds.

Good point. I don't think any other department comes close to touching the FDNY's staffing levels. I think the FDNY has something like 12,000 active firefighters?

[gamewell45 258]

Good point. I don't think any other department comes close to touching the FDNY's staffing levels. I think the FDNY has something like 12,000 active firefighters?

I believe that number is pretty accurate; additionally, New York City also has 10 volunteer fire company's spread out between 4 or the 5 counties which comprise the city.