My favorite part of the day was my tour of LAFD's shops. Their shops is one of the most awesome places I have been to, ever. They basically do everything with equipment and apparatus in house. They have multiple departments, even one that builds furniture for the fire stations. They have a parts department, SCBA shop, Oxygen shop, small engine shop, machine shop, turnout repair shop, woodshop, supply and equipment depot and warehouse, aerial shops, triple (engines) shops, ambulance shops, light vehicle shops, body shop, pump and aerial test shop, new delivery shop, and the list goes on and on. Each department was so comprehensive. Basically, LAFD can do anything they need to do with any piece of equipment in house. This was my second time their, and the knowledgeable and capable staff who work their impress me a ton.
Also got to go to "Turnout World", LAFD's own turnout gear supply facilty and check out their custom designed and built Morning Pride gear. Though I am not a big Morning Pride person, this new coat was nice (Sorry, no photos). LA City is a STRICT low-bid city, and whoever makes the best product that meets the spec at the lowest cost wins. As evident by LAFD's equipment, this is not neccarily a bad thing.
Here's a sampling of the photos I got today. Many more and bigger photos will be posted in a complete feature on EMTBravo.com in late October.
Here's my AWESOME rental car, 2006 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab V4.7 V-8 Sirius Sattelite Radio and Magellan Navigation system. Very similar to my 2006 Dakota Quad Cab.
LAFD Truck 27
LAFD Engine 62
Command Post 3
Engine 89
The training ladder trailer, designed to be similar to the way the trucks carry the ladders.
What's wrong with this picture?
Engine 20, 2006 Pierce Arrow XT just delivered
An ALF on the lift at LAFD's shops aerial division.
The triple shops at LAFD shops
A new 2006 Seagrave Marauder II, assigned to Engine 68
LAFD's training tower
Truck 58
That's it for now. I'm going to go for a swim, then a stroll down Sunset Boulevard to people watch. Tommorow, it's with Orlando to buff LA County. LA is such a great place, they have such nice apparatus and equipment, even beyond the FD.
