CFD Apparatus status discussion (Non-Radio Information)

[Calgary_Fire_Filmer]

 

[255-Jacobs]

That is not what I expected the Rat to look like at all.

 

[Calgary_Fire_Filmer]

View attachment 157186View attachment 157187

There she is on all her glory. Literally just a flat deck with a tiny motor to go on the CP/LRT tracks. Initially was bought so they could shuttle gear/people through tunnels on the train lines, or bring supplies up to the high LRT stations like Sunalta in the event of a fire, MCI or tech rescue. Last I heard Aqautics had used it on the CP line between Crowchild trail and Edworthy park. Brought in dive gear for recovery training in the Bow in that area. (That was 15 years ago though)

 

[JABoomer]

There she is on all her glory. Literally just a flat deck with a tiny motor to go on the CP/LRT tracks. Initially was bought so they could shuttle gear/people through tunnels on the train lines, or bring supplies up to the high LRT stations like Sunalta in the event of a fire, MCI or tech rescue. Last I heard Aqautics had used it on the CP line between Crowchild trail and Edworthy park. Brought in dive gear for recovery training in the Bow in that area. (That was 15 years ago though)

Is it true that they built a lot of subway under 7th Ave that was left in place after they decided to just run the train at grade through downtown?

 

[ENGINE_4]

There is a book about all the subway line(s) underneath downtown Calgary. You can probably Google it too (I might later). I don't think any rails were ever put in though.. As part of the Greenline CFD is supposed to get a new "rat rail" unit or a truck that can go on the rails. That was a year or two now that was announced....

I heard a rumor CFD was going to get an older Calgary Transit Ford F-550 with a rail package on it and use that as a new "Rat Rail" but I have not seen or heard anything since.

There was a older Calgary Transit truck parked in the second lot, down the hill from the main shops for a while, but I don't know what happened to it.

 

[Calgary_Fire_Filmer]

Found this old photo, bunch of Calgary EMS ambulances lined up in front of Station 1 on 5th Ave. Pretty neat.

 

[255-Jacobs]

That's some history right there! Maybe we can see Calgary EMS return one day.

 

[dhoustonAB]

Does anyone know why High Rise 2 is in a Spare Bush Buggy? I heard on the scanner they are only responding to inner-city calls. Does this mean that Air Light 4 is the only Air Light City-wide right now?

 

[255-Jacobs]

Whoa...
Did not know it got that bad for the spares. When all that's left is BB's then the department is in trouble. Since BB's obviously don't carry any sort of Air Light equipment then A/L has to go citywide now on "workers" in order to provide the proper equipment.

 

[ENGINE_4]

(R0118) Rescue 10 is back in service. It is sad that the Highrise is still out - I wish I had info on it :/

I'm not overly surprised the Highrise is running a spare BB. Many apparatus over the years have run a spare BB whether Ladders, Rescues or Tenders. The CFD Engine/Rescue reserve pool must be a little low at the moment or the shop foreman/ or a Chief wants to get some Bush Buggies on the road since they're not really needed in the city for calls right now

CFD will be trying to get the most out of the heavy spare fleet for at least the next year and a bit. It seems the new Tenders, FRP's and Boat Tows are delayed. New Ladders won't be around until March 2025. New Engines or BB's have NOT been ordered at this time.

Clearly a Bush Buggy cannot act as a Highrise, but a Airlight/Highrise unit is a bit of a luxury at a fire scene. All trucks carry spare SCBA bottles, cleaning wipes, water and such. They only carry small amounts though.
Of course we want to see the Airlight/Highrise on big calls but when mechanical/maintenance issues like this occur, a spare Rescue could fill in this role. They only have 20 SCBA's and no portable refilling station? Hopefully a spare Rescue or the Highrise unit comes back soon at Station 2

Whoa...
Did not know it got that bad for the spares. When all that's left is BB's then the department is in trouble. Since BB's obviously don't carry any sort of Air Light equipment then A/L has to go citywide now on "workers" in order to provide the proper equipment.

Assuming it's in service and the Captains/Chiefs/Dispatch know the Highrise is running, a BB and to send 4 A/L to Working fires, 2nd Alarms, etc

I have heard calls recently where no A/L or Highrise was attached to the working fire until requested. Hopefully that was a one-off issue

 

[ENGINE_4]

I found these at the shops today. These new Ford chassis could be new Bush Buggies or Boat Tows or even FRP’s……. Anyone with info please chime in.
Behind these chassis’s is 10 Tech Support. Chassis removed, looks like it’s going to be re-chassis’d/refurbed and put back in service.
Partially in this picture is the Calgary Transit flat deck, Ford F450-550 truck with the rail package on it. I mentioned the truck in an earlier post. It hasn’t moved in I’d say 6-9 months

 

[255-Jacobs]

Since there is 3 of them I'd have to guess these are the new boat tows. I honestly thought CFD was gonna hire a seperate company to make these boat tows but it looks like they are doing it themselves...

Unless they are just holding onto them and someone was hired rendering that paragraph pointless.

The rail package F-450 seems pretty low on CFD's apparatus priority list if not at the bottom. CFD probably won't start working on it until work has started on the green line. (That's why CFD acquired it after all)

 

[ENGINE_4]

I believe they’re just holding onto the chassis for now, at least that’s what they used to do in the past before sending them out to a companies like ITB, Fleet mobility, etc

 

[Calgary_Fire_Filmer]

I found these at the shops today. These new Ford chassis could be new Bush Buggies or Boat Tows or even FRP’s……. Anyone with info please chime in.
Behind these chassis’s is 10 Tech Support. Chassis removed, looks like it’s going to be re-chassis’d/refurbed and put back in service.
Partially in this picture is the Calgary Transit flat deck, Ford F450-550 truck with the rail package on it. I mentioned the truck in an earlier post. It hasn’t moved in I’d say 6-9 months

Those would be the Boat Tows, super excited that they're here! The Boat Tows are supposed to be 3 Ford F-550 DRWs, which pretty much match that pic. Also makes sense that they don't have anything but the cab, as CFD is going with the Rescue lockers like TR1700.

Also, apparently, we aren't getting new Bush Buggies anytime soon. They bought those new pump systems, so they hope to get another 5-7 years out of them still (Even the 2000's)

 

[ENGINE_4]

Highrise 2 is back as a Spare Rescue, Possibly R1408?

 

[255-Jacobs]

At least it's not a Bush Buggy.

 

[ENGINE_4]

Tender 21 is still running E4402. It would be cool to see it fully staffed up with 4 ff's until the new Tenders come in. CFD would have an extra Engine essentially if they staffed it. That could help with hall coverage as well

A new class of 32-40 firefighters should be graduating this week, if they haven't already.

CFD is staffing up some Engines with a 5th FF. It will be interesting to see if they're able to staff all single Engine stations with a 5th FF or if they'll staff up key stations like 5,7,24,18,40,28,29 (when Ladder 8 leaves), 33 (when the Rescue leaves), 45,35, etc..

 

[255-Jacobs]

I can definitely see 5E, 7E, 18E, 28E, 40E getting a 5th FF added since those are the faster "single Engine" halls. I was hoping CFD would staff the Ladders with 4 FF's before moving onto Engines and Rescues, but whatever floats CFD brass' boat.

 

[Calgary_Fire_Filmer]

I can definitely see 5E, 7E, 18E, 28E, 40E getting a 5th FF added since those are the faster "single Engine" halls. I was hoping CFD would staff the Ladders with 4 FF's before moving onto Engines and Rescues, but whatever floats CFD brass' boat.

Apparently it’s been shifting around too. Last night at 23 station they had 9 ffs. 5 on the engine and 4 on the Ladder. Crazy times

 

[ENGINE_4]

That's wild! It makes sense to put more firefighters in higher fire prone areas like 12/23/22's districts. Maybe each shift/platoon places extra ff's differently, also depends on how many ff's are working that shift/ off sick or on vacation.