Stella Mayerhoff – Monterey Daily Herald

When a photographer donated two drones to Cal Fire’s San Benito-Monterey Unit in 2021, the act of generosity launched a drone program that would break records and save lives. A team of Cal Fire drone pilots uses specialized technology to conduct prescribed burns, search for missing or injured individuals and keep emergency responders safe.

The first pair of drones came without any guarantee that a drone program would get off the ground, figuratively or literally. “We didn’t know what to do with them. We didn’t even know how to take off,” says Cal Fire San Benito-Monterey Battalion Chief Josh Silveira. Today, Cal Fire San Benito-Monterey has the largest unmanned aircraft systems program of its kind in the state, in both number of pilots and flight hours. The 12 pilots in the unit fly hundreds of hours a year and, out of the 180 pilots working for Cal Fire, account for 40% of all drone flights.

Silveira admits he initially felt reluctant to join the program. However, he left flight training eager to upgrade and implement the unit’s drone technology. “We were flying antiques at the time. They didn’t even have a thermal camera,” he says. He attended the training with Cal Fire San Benito-Monterey Battalion Chief Tommy Headley, who says his early involvement in the program allowed him to influence its development. The two Battalion Chiefs returned from the training and advocated for the program to get drones with thermal technology. “It was off to the races from there,” says Silveira.

The Carmel Highlands Fire District, Cypress Fire District and Pebble Beach Community Services District all recognize the value of the program and support it. “We’ve had so many success stories that they’re invested in multiple levels, but the biggest one is financially. They’re purchasing most of our aircraft,” says Silveira. The program has an annual operating budget of $50,000, covering costs such as aircraft purchases and maintenance.

The program now boasts 19 aircraft, ranging from drones that cost a couple hundred dollars to the team’s five $100,000 specialized drones. The fleet of flying Swiss Army knives provides the team with high-zoom and wide-angle cameras, thermal imaging, aerial ignition capabilities and 88-pound cargo capacity. These tools aid in wildfire management, search and rescue, crowd management and risk reduction for first responders.

When it comes to fighting fire, drones serve several functions. Pilots monitor thermal cameras to help crews battle wildfires through real-time fire hot spot detection. Meanwhile, high-resolution aerial mapping can identify areas of highly flammable material and complete pre- and post-fire surveys of land to inform future fire prevention efforts, including those recently conducted in the Del Monte Forest.

One of the program’s most innovative uses of drones is aerial ignition. The team uses combustible balls known as Dragon Eggs to strategically start small fires to slow the spread of larger fires, particularly in areas not safely accessible by fire crews. “We’re able to alleviate a lot of that risk using the technology,” says Silveira. Specialized drones carry up to 450 Dragon Eggs, which resemble Ping-Pong balls and ignite through a chemical reaction between potassium permanganate and glycol. The team also hosts the National Aerial Ignition Academy in the Santa Lucia reserve, providing aerial ignition training.

The drones are also critical for search and rescue, including several rescues of lost hikers at Soberanes Point and the recent efforts to locate a missing child near Big Sur. Thermal cameras offer a critical opportunity to find hikers, disoriented residents and struggling swimmers in areas with low visibility. “The thermal signature of a person in the water in distress st

William J. Kemble
Daily Freeman, Kingston, N.Y.
(TNS)

SAUGERTIES, N.Y. — Village trustees are being asked to support the proposed purchase of a $1.1 million fire truck to replace a 23-year-old vehicle.

Fire Chief Chris Mason outlined problems with the current vehicle during the Village Board’s meeting on Monday, Dec. 1.

“It does have some air leaks,” Mason said. “We have had to run a line to a compressor to be able to maintain that, but they’re still leaking.”

However, he added, the lines can maintain full air capacity as long as the truck is running.

“The brakes are run off of the air, the air horns run off the air,” Mason said. “If we don’t have air, it’s going to basically not let us go anywhere, or could cause the brakes to fail.”

There are also problems with the truck’s generator that is used for electric tools and portable lights, the chief said.

“Sometimes the generator on the truck stops working on us, and there are parts that I don’t think are available for that,” Mason said.

The vehicle was made by American LaFrance, which went out of business in 2014 after 111 years of making fire apparatus.

Mason also described having to find solutions for leaking valves on the truck.

“We’ve had to Band Aid over the years just to be able to get them passing the standardizations for our annual checks that we do,” Mason said.

Firefighters are also uncertain whether their fuel and water levels are being correctly measured.

“The fuel tank is a steel tank that’s starting to rust, and the fuel gauge, we’re not sure sometimes if it’s correct,” Mason said. “The water gauge … having an issue.”

The most recent truck was purchased in 2015 for about $600,000. Officials attributed the price increase to higher standards and tariffs that make it more expensive to build new fire equipment.

“The longer we wait to go ahead with this, the more expensive the truck’s going to be,” Mason said.

Board members expect to review the impact on the village’s fire rating, which affects the amount of local insurance rates, and other cost factors, before determining whether to buy a new fire truck.

Mayor Bill Murphy said, “The tariffs were a big factor, and we don’t know how it’s going to play out over the next three or four years. That’s the scary part.”

© 2025 Daily Freeman, Kingston, N.Y.. Visit www.dailyfreeman.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The post Saugerties (NY) Officials Consider Buying $1.1M Fire Apparatus appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

Sean McDonnell
cleveland.com
(TNS)

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland is putting together a plan to renovate fire and EMS stations across the city, many of which need major repairs to fix glaring issues like roof leaks or problems with heating and air conditioning.

The city is seeking out a contractor that can map out the needed repairs, handle the construction and pay for the entire project using savings — similar to the plan Cleveland chose to make $21 million worth of repairs to the city’s five police district buildings.

Cleveland issued the request for qualifications just before Thanksgiving and hopes to receive bids until mid-January.

City officials recently celebrated the opening of a new fire station 26 in the Kinsman neighborhood, combining the operations of two former stations in a state-of-the-art facility.

But Cleveland has also seen maintenance issues lead to fire stations closing.

Fire station 30 in Glenville had a leaking roof and after heavy rains in May it was shut down and firefighters were moved to other stations. A hazmat contractor was brought in to see if remediation was needed, and the station reopened within the past month.

A facilities condition report from 2024 shows that roof leaks are common, and that most of Cleveland’s fire stations need major repairs. Often, firefighters and paramedics both work out of these stations.

That includes fire station 1, which is also the Cleveland Fire Division’s headquarters. The 2024 report said basement office space needs to be demolished to remediate a mold intrusion problem. The main sump pit had to be sealed according to code, because it “allows noxious gases and insect infestation into office space areas.”

Fire station 1 also needs HVAC upgrades as employees can’t set a temperature in the building. They can only turn heating and cooling on or off.

These kinds of issues are persistent, according to the 2024 report.

Several fire stations list roof repairs or replacements as a major need. Almost a dozen fire stations and the Fire Training Academy all cite significant HVAC needs, in the city’s 2024 fire facility condition report.

The facilities report also points to windows and doors that need to be replaced, leaking pipes and electrical issues that need to be fixed at various stations.

City Council has been pressuring Mayor Justin Bibb to improve conditions across the city’s public safety facilities.

Councilman Mike Polensek said it’s a problem of constant deferred maintenance, saying small repairs were ignored until they became big problems. He referenced the popular Fram oil filter commercial form the 1970s: “Pay now or pay later.”

“One administration after another has just kicked the can down the street,” Polensek said.

Polensek said the city also needs to set aside a budget and create a plan for maintenance going forward, which could include pre-negotiated deals with local contractors to make repairs when they arise.

Jake Konys, president of the union that represents Cleveland firefighters, said part of the problem is deferred maintenance, but some of the city’s fire stations are also old and hard to retrofit.

The new fire station 26, for example, ha

Delivery of the Month

Pierce—Grayslake (IL) Fire Protection District Ascendant heavy-duty rear-mount 107-foot aerial. Enforcer cab and chassis; PACCAR MX 132 510-hp engine; TAK-4 independent front suspension; Command Zone electrical system; PUC midship 2,000-gpm pump; 500-gallon tank; Husky 3 foam system. Dealer: Dan Rudnicki, MacQueen Emergency, Aurora, IL.

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E-ONE—Torrington (CT) Fire Department stainless steel rescue-pumper. Typhoon cab and chassis; Cummins X15 565-hp engine; 1,500-gpm Hale pump; 780-gallon tank; low hosebed; full-height rescue-style tool compartments; Federal Signal Q siren. Dealer: Mike Pinto, Greenwood Emergency Vehicles, North Attleboro, MA.

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Rosenbauer—Carlyle (IL) Fire Protection District custom pumper. Commander 7011 cab and chassis; Cummins L9 450-hp engine; Hale DSD 1,500-gpm pump; 900-gallon UPF tank; 20-gallon Class A foam cell; FoamPro foam system; Duo-Safety ground ladders; TFT Monsoon monitor. Dealer: Steve Williams, Sentinel Emergency Solutions, St. Louis, MO.

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Smeal—Magnolia (TX) Fire Department 100-foot midmount aerial platform quint. Spartan Gladiator cab and chassis; Cummins X15 565-hp engine; Hale Qmax 2,000-gpm pump; Akron Brass electric valves; Trident air primer; 300-gallon tank; Performance Advantage Company tool mounting system; Federal Q siren. Dealer: Metro Fire Apparatus Specialists, Houston, TX.

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SVI—Riverside County Fire Department, Perris, CA, hazmat unit. Spartan Gladiator MFD cab and chassis; Cummins X15 565-hp engine; 27-foot body; slide-out ready room; Command Light CL series light tower; Onan 20-kW PTO generator; Hannay electric cable reel; Zico SCBA storage brackets. Dealer: Will Malmikov, Fire Apparatus Solutions, Rialto, CA.

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Spartan Emergency Response—Vancouver (British Columbia) Fire Rescue Services three custom pumpers. Spartan Metro Star cabs and chassis; Cummins X12 500-hp engines; Waterous CMUC 2,000-gpm pumps; 380-gallon water tanks; Harrison 6-kW hydraulic generators; Akron Brass StreamMaster II deck guns. Dealer: Safetek Profire, Abbotsford, BC.

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Sutphen—West Winfield (NY) Fire Department pumper. Sutphen Monarch 73-inch cab and chassis with 10-inch raised roof; Cummins X12 500-hp engine; Hale Qmax 1,500-gpm pump; 1,500-gallon tank with 20-gallon foam cell; Akron Brass 125-gpm eductor foam system; Command Light light tower. Dealer: Adam Schwabrow, Vander Molen Fire Apparatus Sales and Service, Syracuse, NY.

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