GFD Gets a Brand-new Fire Engine

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) – Gridley has received a brand-new CALFIRE/Butte County fire engine.

Zach Downing, Fire Apparatus Engineer with CALFIRE/Butte County Gridley Fire Department says that the new 2022 Smeal Metro Star ‘pumper’ style engine is ‘very versatile’ and the engine “is based on the new county specs, so it is completely unique in the county. There is not another build like it and all future builds will be based on this one.”

New Engine 74 features a redesign with the safety of the firefighters it carries in mind.

The cab area of Engine 74 has been extended, with a separate area dedicated to the storage of used personal protective equipment (PPE) and other equipment that have been exposed to fire, smoke and hazardous carcinogens. These carcinogens can remain present on firefighters’ protective gear, infiltrating cabin air. A new compartment allows firefighters to store their used gear in an isolation area so that fumes or other potentially toxic substances are not emitted into the air of the cabin while firefighters recover or travel.

In addition to that, an upgraded air conditioning system has been incorporated into the cab design to expedite the lowering of the internal body temperature of firefighters on active fires – temperatures that can be dangerous. Basic training helps firefighters acclimate to these intense conditions and the physical effects that high internal temperatures have on the body, but areas dedicated to rapid cooling are highly beneficial to the long-term health of fire crews.

Engine 74 now boasts a 450 horsepower Cummins engine, up from the previous 400 horsepower for increased speed and LED lighting for visibility.  It includes a Waterous 2-stage 1,500 gallon/per minute pump that electronically controls the proper water pressure when using the hoses – something that was done manually in the past. Engine 74 now has a tank capacity of 700 gallons vs the 650 gallons of the old truck.

The old Engine 74 was demoted to the reserve fleet, with the equipment onboard of it stripped and utilized on the new Engine 74. Its replacement will greatly benefit its crew and our communities.

New Engine 74’s maiden voyage was Friday, September 9^th as the engine responded to a grass fire.