GV Fire's upgraded equipment enhances safety

The Green Valley Fire District added three new emergency-response vehicles to its fleet this month.

Firefighters are being trained on a new ladder truck and two pumper trucks, which will be put into use in a few weeks, spokesman Bill Bohling said.

With two new stations set to be completed by spring, the trucks were brought on to accommodate the growth. And with 10 three-story buildings in Green Valley — and seven more planned in the next few years — a more efficient ladder truck was a necessity, Bohling said.

Previously, the district had only a “miniature” ladder truck called a telesquirt, which has a 60-foot ladder. The new truck has a 100-foot ladder with a secured platform at the end that can hold up to four firefighters. Bohling said the shorter ladder can reach the highest windows of a three-story building, but the longer ladder now allows Green Valley firefighters access to the rooftops.

Chief Simon Davis said the highest multiple-story complex in Green Valley is La Posada, but some churches, such as Our Lady of the Valley, have roofs that exceed 60 feet.

The trucks are funded by a $10 million lease-purchase agreement called a Certificate of Participation that the district secured in October 2007, which also funded new stations 151 at La Canada Drive and Station 155 in Quail Creek. The ladder truck cost the district $900,000 while the pumper trucks were each $300,000, Davis said.

Besides the obvious safety benefits to the community, the ladder truck helps GVFD meet Insurance Service Organization standards, which affects residential and commercial insurance rates. The ISO is an independent company that evaluates fire departments to establish a nationally recognized insurance rating. Stations are given a rating of 1 to 10. A lower, more favorable rating could lead to lower insurance rates, depending on the insurance provider, said Davis.

“A lower rating improves the insurability of the community,” he said.

GVFD’s rating has been hurt by two things: not having a 100-foot ladder truck; and too-long response times to outlying parts of the community. The new truck and new station serving Quail Creek in Sahuarita will help bring the district’s ISO rating from a 4 to a 3, Davis said. The adjustment to the district’s rating wouldn’t take place until after the station is completed.

Along with the three new vehicles, GVFD’s fleet consists of four pumpers, the telesquirt and three water tankers. Two of the pumpers are backup trucks in case the frontline trucks break or need servicing, Davis said.

jrichardson@gvnews.com | 547-9726