Above: One of the Granite Mountain Hotshots’ crew buggies was near the front of the procession that brought the 19 fallen firefighters from Phoenix to Prescott, July 7, 2013. Photo by Bill Gabbert.
Tuesday night the Prescott, Arizona City Council voted unanimously to accept the bid of the Los Angeles County Fire Museum to purchase the two crew carriers (or crew buggies) that were used by the Granite Mountain Hotshots.
Nineteen of the 20 Granite Mountain Hot Shot crewmembers perished at the Yarnell Hill Fire on June 30, 2013.
The trucks, which carried the Granite Mountain Hotshots throughout the Southwestern U.S. during the 2013 wildfire season, were deemed “surplus properties” by the City of Prescott after it disbanded the crew. The museum’s bid of $25,000 for both vehicles was the only bid submitted, according to Prescott City Manager Michael Lamar. Under terms of the deal, both of the buggies will be owned by the County of Los Angeles Fire Museum.
One of the buggies will go to the County of Los Angeles Fire Museum in Bellflower, California and the other one is slated to be placed on loan to the Hall of Flame fire museum in Phoenix, Arizona. When a suitable facility is built in Prescott, the truck at the Hall of Flame will be moved to Prescott.
A win-win situation. Both the LA County Fire museum and the Hall of Flame in Phoenix are world class operations.
In the greater Los Angeles area, there are four fire museums, the LA County Museum in Bellflower, the LA City Fire Museum in Hollywood, the LA City Fire Museum in San Pedro (which includes Fire Boat 2 the Ralph J. Scott and the African American Firefighters Museum in south Los Angeles.
Check their respective web sites for hours of operation, admission fees, membership etc.
Huge shout-out to the Los Angeles County Fire Museum and its membership for this gesture. Indeed, it will preserve the memory of the Lads forever.
I tell everybody that is thinking about building a house near or in a Forest.. to Protect yourself and your home.. Take a tip from the Navy and set up a water curtain . with 8 to 10 nozzles pointing at and away from the residence .Set up a special water tower dedicated to this. Its a lot cheaper than building a new home … Also if you have a pool, tie it into that too just in case..As always you should have at least a 1000 yd fire break if possible .. as soon as word of a fire is announced soak that area . . Start your water curtain over your roof it should cover your whole house in no time and even if you BUG OUT!! leave the curtain going in your absence..A soaked house is better than a burnt one..NUFF SAID!!