Narrow Roads and Fire Engines Don't Mix

Photo by Mike Myers

On Sunday, March 5^th, 2017 at 11 A.M. the La Habra Heights front line 2008 KME fire engine was involved in a non-injury, solo vehicle accident in the 500 block of East Rd. in La Habra Heights. 

During the accident the engine dropped off the right side of the roadway, landing on both axles and sliding along the edge of the pavement like a skateboarder on a rail. The Engine came to rest on the downhill slope, nearly rolling over and down the 50', 30 degree embankment. 

The vehicle came to rest with the left front and rear wheels barely in contact with the roadway.  

Photo by Mike Myers

Upon coming to rest, the Firefighters were able to exit on the uphill side of the apparatus while the Captain, fearing that crawling over the center console would cause the vehicle to roll down the hill, elected to exit the vehicle on the downhill side.

No injuries were sustained. L.A. County Dispatch was notified, as was the La Habra Heights Fire Chief  and Assistant Chief. Both responded emergency to the incident to provide incident command and ensure the safety of department personnel and apparatus. 

Photo by Mike Myers

L.A. County Fire responded their USAR and Heavy Rescue 103 to the incident to provide technical expertise in the recovery of the apparatus.

Two heavy rescue Tow Trucks were requested. In concert, one tow truck connected cables to the rear wheels on each side while the other connected to the front. 

The vehicle was literally hoisted into the air to bring in upright and back onto the roadway. It took approximately 4 hours to safely stabilize and recover the apparatus.

Upon recovery, a preliminary safety check was performed which revealed minimal damage. The Engine was driven back to quarters, placed out of service, and is undergoing suspension and minor body damage repairs.

Photo by Mike Myers

The cause of the accident occurred due to several factors  including a narrow, winding road with lane widths of approximately 9 feet, a blind corner with both opposing drivers hugging the center line due to the narrow lane width, the Fire Engine driver moving slightly to the right to avoid a potential accident, the rear dual wheels cheating the corner to the passenger side due to the length of the Engine, and a sharp drop off at the edge of the fog line and pavement.

Please read the Preliminary Green Sheet Report .

Brush Clearance: An Investment towards a Safer Community

Courtesy of txdot.gov

Prevention, early detection, and rapid response against invasive plants are investments to you and your neighborhood. Control costs increase exponentially over time if infestations of invasive plants are allowed to persist. 

One mature tumbleweed, for example, can spread up to 250,000 seeds and germinate with very limited amounts of moisture. This allows tumbleweeds to dominate other vegetation and can become even a greater nuisance during the worst of droughts. 

Invasive plants such as tumbleweeds should be abated quickly and aggressively to prevent infestations and to reduce the risk of a fire endangering you and your loved ones.

Palm Tree Maintenance Prevents Wildfires

Palm Tree Maintenance: According to the California Invasive Plant Council, Mexican fan palms are extremely invasive, and palm trees with untrimmed fronds harbor rats and snakes, and can be a fire hazard if neglected.

There are many other types of palm trees that are lower-maintenance, more fire-wise and environmentally better choices. Mexican fan palms can become exceedingly tall, and what makes it an extraordinary fire hazard is the “petticoat” of dead fronds that stay on the tree from year to year if not removed.

The dead fronds may be easily ignited, and in a fire, the fronds can fly all over, igniting new fires where they land. Very tall palm trees are dangerous to trim, so it is recommended that you hire only the most qualified personnel to perform the work. If you have Mexican fan palms on your property, check to make sure they are being maintained to reduce fuel for a potential fire.

La Habra Heights Recognized For Worker Safety Record

ACHIEVEMENT RECOGNIZED -- La Habra Heights Mayor Kyle Miller presents an award from the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority to Fire Chief Doug Graft.  The award recognized La Habra Heights having the best workers compensation record of any of the Authority’s 37-member cities with public safety employees.  It was the second straight year La Habra Heights received the award.