During a discussion on the Z107.7 “Up Close” show Friday, a caller asked why the fire engine equipped with a ladder apparatus to reach multi-story buildings was no longer located in the Twentynine Palms County Fire Station. Prior to the Twentynine Palms Fire Department coming under county control, two large, multi-story hotels had been permitted for construction when city and fire officials realized the fire department did not have a fire engine that was capable of fighting fire in the upper stories of those structures. Subsequently, the City of Twentynine Palms purchased a ladder-equipped fire engine at a cost of about $250,000 and gave it to the then Twentynine Palms Fire Department. Right now, that fire engine is not in Twentynine Palms, leaving those multi-storied buildings unprotected by their local county fire station. In response to the citizen query, Z107.7 News contacted San Bernardino County Fire Department Battalion Chief Scott Tuttle. He said that while the ladder truck is still assigned to County station #44 in Twentynine Palms, the engine is currently being used in Victorville while theirs is being repaired. Tuttle said when the Victorville division has their primary truck back they will return the ladder engine to the Twentynine Palms station. He added that there is a ladder engine at the Yucca Mesa county fire station if it is needed.
