El Cerrito-Kensington Fire Unveils New Aerial Ladder Truck

El Cerrito-Kensington Fire has replaced a 23 year old aerial ladder truck with a new aerial ladder truck using grant funding. The aerial ladder truck will be located at the main El Cerrito Fire station on San Pablo Avenue and will be used to respond to fires and other emergencies requiring an aerial ladder or heavy rescue.

In 2013, the City of El Cerrito received an $856,406 grant from the Assistant to Firefighter Grant (AFG) program through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) towards the purchase of a newaerial ladder truck. The truck is built on a Spartan Gladiator cab and chassis which matches the City’s other engines and will have a 103’ four section aerial ladder. The City of El Cerrito contributed $63,438 and the Kensington Fire Protection District contributed $31,718 towards the vehicle as part of the required 10 percent agency participation.

The new truck is equipped with the 103’ aerial ladder, plus a number of ground ladders, power saws, ventilation fans, water removal and salvage equipment as well a complete set of hydraulic rescue tools (Jaws of Life), struts, ropes and shoring equipment to facilitate any rescue. Like all El Cerrito fire engines, the aerial ladder truck will also be equipped with Advanced Life Support medical equipment.

“The El Cerrito-Kensington Fire Department is very pleased to have been successful in this grant process. This will be a great upgrade to our current fleet of apparatus that will enhance the services the Department provides,” said Fire Chief Lance Maples of the El Cerrito/Kensington Fire Department.

The new aerial ladder truck was purchased through Hi-Tech Emergency Vehicle Services in Oakdale, California and was built by Spartan Emergency Response Vehicles in South Dakota, which builds custom fire engines and aerial trucks that are sold throughout the world.

—Information and photo submitted by City of El Cerrito

Photo: The El Cerrito-Kensington Department’s new aerial ladder truck has a 103’ ladder as well as other rescue equipment. Photo: City of El Cerrito