SDFD 500 series engines

jp186 · Post by **jp186** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:11 am

During the fires I heard SDFD using some engines numbered in the 500's (e.g. E501, E503, E506). I already know that additional engines out of the same station get 100 and 200 series ID's, but what are the 500-series rigs? I am thinking they may have been training engines put into use, but I am not sure.

SDnative · Post by **SDnative** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:26 pm

I heard on the news tonight that the City put rigs back into service for the fires, that are waiting to be retired. I am thinking that they gave them the 500 numbers to keep them separate from the "daily" rigs.

mike · Post by **mike** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 12:29 pm

It may be reserve engines also possibly?

thefish · Post by **thefish** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 8:08 pm

Here's the deal. When an engine goes on a strike team, it retains it number. When it's backfilled in the station, they add a 1. So if Engine 14 goes out, they backfill with Engine 114. If Engine 114 goes out, they backfill with Engine 214. And so on. Some stations were backfilled up to five times, thus engines such as 504.