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Orange County Fire Authority places paramedic engines in Division 5; crews aided quick containment of Rancho Fire
Summary
Council received a report that four-person OCFA paramedic engines were placed into service in Division 5, including a unit serving Laguna Woods, and that those resources — along with aerial assets — helped contain a recent Rancho Fire in Laguna Beach to 4.6 acres.
Laguna Woods — Council members reported that Orange County Fire Authority placed four-person paramedic engines into service in Division 5, improving emergency medical services and fire response coverage across several neighboring cities. The council also heard from Captain Augie Romo about a recent brush fire in Laguna Beach (the Rancho Fire) that burned about 4.6 acres and was contained quickly by coordinated ground and aerial operations.
According to the report, Paramedic Engine 12, which will serve Laguna Woods, was temporarily staged at Fire Station 19 in Lake Forest; Paramedic Engine 57 was placed in service for Aliso Viejo. The new engines expand EMS and fire capacity for Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Laguna Woods, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Niguel and nearby unincorporated areas while Fire Station 12 is completed.
Captain Augie Romo, Division 5 administrative captain, described the Rancho Fire response: coordinated operations involved OCFA, CAL Fire, Laguna Beach Fire, Laguna Beach Police and Orange County Sheriff’s Department; aerial assets including Fire Hawks (about 1,000-gallon drops) and Chinook helicopters (about 3,000-gallon drops) executed repeated water drops; the fire burned an estimated 4.6 acres and was contained by 7:00 p.m. the following day with additional mop-up crews working to extinguish hotspots. Romo said a youth was detained in connection with igniting the brush fire. He praised the quick unified response and the availability of helipods (water-refill points) in Laguna Beach and Aliso Viejo that sped aerial operations.
No council action was required; the presentation served as informational liaison reports.
