With a price tag of nearly $300,000, the engine – which is also designated as a Type 3 Urban Search and Rescue unit that would be crucial in the event of a major earthquake – will be housed at Station 34 on River Islands Parkway but could be shuffled around to other sites as needed.
As part of the agreement with the State of California, the district is responsible for all maintenance and repairs under $100. If it is used for immediate response in the local community, the gas must be paid for by that agency. When it gets called up to respond to a wildland fire or other major incident, the fuel will be provided by Cal OES, and all of the hours of the firefighters responding will be reimbursed by the state.
While having another engine is valuable, just being presented with one, Madoski said, is a testament to the type of training that has become standard in Lathrop for its firefighters – which are tasked with providing urban coverage to mainland Lathrop as well as staffing a pair of rural stations, a stretch of the San Joaquin River and a plethora of industrial and commercial spaces.