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County fire chief outlines wildfire mitigation steps, reserve engine purchase for Morongo Basin
Summary
San Bernardino County Fire Chief Bill Villarreal briefed the Twentynine Palms City Council on station staffing, regional mutual-aid, a purchase of 10 reserve engines, a residential assessment program, fuels-reduction work and use of drones in rescues and wildfire response.
San Bernardino County Fire Chief Bill Villarreal gave an update to the Twentynine Palms City Council on March 11 outlining wildfire preparedness and regional response measures for the Morongo Basin.
Villarreal described staffing and equipment at the local station, mutual-aid arrangements and new investments intended to improve response when larger incidents occur. He said Station 44 (Yucca Valley) is staffed daily by a three-person crew — a captain, an engineer and a firefighter/paramedic — and houses a Type 1 engine, a water tender and a Type 6 brush patrol, plus Office of Emergency Services (OES) brush apparatus that are deployed under mutual-aid agreements.
"So, it doesn't ever go uncovered," Villarreal said of the station when apparatus are sent to larger incidents, explaining that the department immediately backfills…
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