From Humboldt Bay Fire:

On October 1st Humboldt Bay Fire placed a two-person rescue squad in to service as part of a three month evaluation period for a potentially improved response model for Humboldt Bay Fire. The apparatus is a refurbished 2002 Horton Medium Duty Rescue vehicle which will respond to all fires, rescues, and calls for medical service in the Fire Station 1 (Downtown/Old Town areas) and Fire Station 4 (Myrtle Town) response areas. The squad has equipment on it such as self-contained breathing apparatus, forcible entry tools, and rescue equipment. It is also configured as a medical response vehicle but is not intended for transport as City Ambulance of Eureka provides medical transport.

Since the temporary closure of Fire Station 4 in July, the squad was purchased to provide service to that area, as well as reducing the response load for Fire Station 1 which is the busiest station in Humboldt Bay Fire’s response area as well as the county. The squad is the primary response vehicle for all medical calls and single unit service calls not involving fire in the Downtown and Myrtle Town areas. The squad is housed at Fire Station 1 at 533 C St. in Eureka, along with a truck company. For any fires or rescues, the squad is dispatched as part of the response. The two person company, comprised of a company officer and firefighter, has the capabilities to perform search and rescue, forcible entry, containment of small fires until the engines and truck with larger crews and equipment caches, pumps, and hoses arrive.

The squad cost approximately $30,000 dollars and has already demonstrated that it can reduce the workload on the much larger tiller truck, saving on maintenance costs and keeping it available for fires, rescues, and additional calls for service.