The water tanker was set on fire and left in a ditch four months ago. The fire department, which serves a remote, rural area southeast of Forsyth, got it back. The chief says it still doesn't work, and the community is paying for it with their safety.

The chief says at least four brush fires have burned areas since the engine has been out of commission.

One of the pros of buying a new firetruck is that it would increase the operational ability of the fire department. Right now, reserve apparatus are being rotated into service as a temporary solution, city documents said. A new truck would also improve the average age of the city's fleet, which would reduce long-term maintenance and repair costs and inject modern sustainability features into the fleet, the city report said.

Firefighters from Station 13, one of the busiest firehouses in San Francisco, regularly respond to calls from high-rises across the north Financial District.

Modesto received federal money to help restart the engine company. The Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded the city a $2.2 million SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grant in the fall. The grant covers the cost of hiring nine firefighters for two years.

The grant increased the department’s staff to 140 sworn personnel, enough to restart an engine company. An engine company is staffed with three firefighters, three engineers and three captains. Modesto expects to spend about $334,000 of its own money over the life of the grant to cover the difference in compensation between the firefighters and the engineers and captains as well as one-time costs, such as sending the nine firefighters to the fire academy.

The nine firefighters started their training in January, and Tuesday was their first official day as firefighters. Ernst said the Fire Department has made it a priority to find the money to keep them and Engine No. 11 in service after the grant ends in January 2019.

Fire engines so far have been maintained by city mechanics in the fleet services division of the public works department. But the number of mechanics certified to work on fire engines is down from six in 2014 to three, Public Works Director Dick Dublinski said.