GV Fire to use pickup trucks

In an effort to cut down on costs, Green Valley firefighters may soon be using pickup trucks to respond to some medical calls in place of gas-guzzling fire engines.

Starting this week, firefighters will be driving the pickup to “low priority” calls, said Assistant Fire Chief Bill Bohling at Wednesday’s board of director’s meeting.

Those wouldn’t include higher risk medical emergencies such as cardiac arrest, in which case an engine and ambulance would be sent out, he said.

The truck, or “alternative response vehicle” (ARV), which already has a light and siren, will be outfitted with all the advanced life support equipment carried on fire engines and would be manned by one emergency medical technician and one paramedic. In addition to saving on fuel costs, the use of ARVs would result in less wear and tear on Green Valley’s fleet of fire engines, which are much more costly to maintain, said Bohling.

Initially, only one district-owned pickup will be converted for use as an ARV while the district tests out its effectiveness.

The issue of ARVs was brought up at a budget workshop meeting in January, held after Chief Simon Davis announced that the district may have to raise taxes to accommodate falling property values in the Santa Cruz Valley. Several residents spoke out at the meeting and said the district should focus on cutting costs before raising taxes, and criticized the district for sending fire engines, which get four or five miles-to-the-gallon, out on non-fire calls.

Davis said fire districts throughout the country are taking steps toward utilizing ARVs as a way to save, but that currently, purchasing new pickup trucks would be too costly for Green Valley Fire.

Using a truck already owned by the district is a “great way to test run the project without going into expense on a new vehicle,” said Bohling.

If the ARV proves to be a success, they would consider expanding the project in the future, which would include purchasing new vehicles specifically designed for that use.

“We fully expect that this will work out,” said Bohling. “We’re excited and anxious to see the results.”

In other GVFD board news:

The board thanked Green Valley resident Al Bernardi for his donation of a BBQ trailer to the district, to be used during cook-offs and other community events.

The third in a series of GVFD’s special budget workshop meetings is set for 9 a.m. on Wednesday, March 11, at district headquarters, 1285 W Camino Encanto. Chief Davis will go over a draft of the 2009-2010 budget and discuss ways the district is planning on cutting costs.

The Green Valley Fire Corps is looking for new volunteers. Volunteers have a minimum four-hour commitment per week and their duties include installing smoke detectors and lock boxes, snake removal, clearing brush around fire hydrants and other services. The next class will run March 11-13. Contact Dave Smith at 625-8360 for more information.

jrichardson@gvnews.com | 547-9726