SANTA ANA : City Donates Old Firetruck to Scouts
Rather than scrapping an obsolete firetruck and pump, the city will donate it to the Boy Scouts to protect a San Diego County campsite that is 40 miles away from the nearest fire station.
On Monday night, the City Council unanimously approved the donation to the Boy Scouts’ Lost Valley Scout Reservation, 40 miles outside Oak Grove in San Diego County. The campsite is managed by the Orange County Council of the Boy Scouts of America, which requested the donation.
“We’re elated. We have a tremendous need (for the truck),” county BSA spokesman John Lerch said after the council’s decision. “We intend to take good care of it.”
The need for fire protection equipment became evident a few years ago when a small fire, which could have been easily stopped with one firetruck, erupted into a 40-acre blaze before firefighters could arrive, Lerch said. Site staff will be trained to fight similar blazes with the pump, drawing water directly from the camp’s lake, he said.
The organization is also seeking help from the U.S. Forest Service to supply the camp with hand tools for fighting fires, he added.
The city recently replaced the 16-year-old pumper, which is worth about $2,000 as scrap and spare parts, according to a report to the council. The truck is no longer suitable for emergency runs on city streets, but is in good enough condition to serve as the camp’s permanent fire protection.
Lerch said that 2,500 boys now use the campsite every year and that the organization is considering expanding it.
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