TAHOE CITY, Calif. March 29, 2019 – North Tahoe Fire is proud to announce the receipt of a generous grant from the California Fire Foundation (Foundation) to combat climate-change driven disasters. Through this funding, the Foundation, PG&E and first responders are working together to help communities prepare for and prevent safety hazards that can make climate-related disasters even worse.
NTFPD Firefighters used the nozzles on three structure fires already, and given the challenges of working in approximately 8 feet of snow to get to the structures, working with a nozzle that performs better with less water pressure on the hose was a huge benefit, improving maneuverability and likely preventing crew injuries. The nozzle was also used to provide protection during the mitigation of a recent gas leak. Fortunately, there was no combustion in that incident.
Foundation Grant Funds support the acquisition of specialized firefighting equipment that increases firefighter safety. North Tahoe Fire applied to replace worn fire nozzles with a newer, more efficient and better performing generation of equipment, and received $6,600 from the Foundation to assist with the upgrade.
“This funding equips North Tahoe Fire and Meeks Bay Fire with 10 new nozzles, completing the upgrade of our nozzle inventory,” said Fire Chief Michael Schwartz. “These nozzles flow 150 gallons per minute (GPM) at only 65 pounds per square inch (PSI). The previous generation of nozzles could flow 150 GPM but required 100 PSI to do so, putting much more pressure on the hose and resulting in increased nozzle reaction. This equipment improves the ability of the fire engine and water supply systems to function more efficiently, which is significant in our mountain community where several private water companies do not provide adequate fire flow. We are thankful for the partnership between PG&E and the California Fire Foundation, and their assistance to local agencies like North Tahoe Fire.”
The Foundation and Pacific Gas & Electric have partnered in helping local fire departments and firefighter associations through a $1million grant. Over 65 local agencies have received grants from this fund to help communities address issues such as wildfires, floods, and climate-caused disasters. All fire departments and fire associations were invited to apply for funding related to fire prevention and education in their communities. More information on fire prevention funding is available at http://www.cafirefoundation.org/programs/fireprevention/.
