FY2019 Arlington Fire Department Annual Report FY 2019 | Page 17

and rebuilding AFD
Specialized Fleet Units
Since 2010, the Department has continually and closely managed the fleet in partnership with Fleet
Management, day-to-day oversight by the Fire Apparatus Specialist and in collaboration with the internal
workforce’s voluntary Apparatus Team to manage, purchase and specify the fleet’s unique fire and emergency
service apparatus and vehicles. Today’s Fire fleet consists of 154 heavy apparatus, specialized, light response
and support vehicles. Frontline fire engine average ages are 8.10 years, frontline aerial trucks are 9.94 years,
and combined reserve units are 16.76 years old. The department carefully manages and maintains these units
by age, miles, and unit hours of use and requests annual replacements on an odd/even year cycle; this means
we request to replace two engines every year and one aerial truck during even numbered years.
The Department made
investments in specialized
support vehicles for Special
Events and for incident
commanders. “Rescue
Carts” were designed to
deliver staff and equipment
for all-hazard responses.
With the risks at Lake Arlington, the new Viridian
Development, River Legacy Park, and urban flooding, a
specialized swift water craft and dive/swift water rescue
vehicle purchase was required.
Investments were made into the purchase of a Technical
Rescue Team truck and Rescues 1 and 9 to support the
Gas Well Response Team mission.
Station 17, in the Viridian
Development, needed
additional off-road access
for rescues along the Trinity
River and River Legacy
Park.
For Lake Arlington, the Dive/Swift Water Rescue Team
at Station 7 upgraded its watercraft. The boat, named
“Tillie” and christened by Mrs. Tillie Burgin for her long The Department purchased its first aerial platform ladder
time Arlington contributions, is designed to quickly deliver truck for the increased risk of modern urban vertical
rescue and recovery divers and equipment. developments and partnered with Libraries to re-purpose
a mobile library bus into a modern, high-technology Mobile
Command vehicle for incident commanders.
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