The Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District has added new vehicles to its fleet to better serve the community.

A new Type 6 fire engine was put into service a little over a year ago, positioned out of Station 6 in Elfin Forest. The vehicle is smaller than the typical fire engine with four-wheel drive, allowing it to get into tight spaces more easily and access rural roads. Battalion Chief Paul Roman said the Type 6 is becoming more popular with CAL OES (California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services), generally used in a wildland interface environment.

“It has specialized rescue equipment on it and it’s meant to get there quicker and have increased maneuverability, with the idea to get in quick and keep a situation from getting worse,” Roman said.

The Type 6 unit also has a trailer hitch to pull RSF Fire’s new UTV, an off-terrain vehicle designed to be used on a trail system. Roman said the UTV is put into action for trail rescues in open space that is too difficult for a big fire engine or even the Type 6 to access. The UTV has already been used for several citizen rescues in the Elfin Forest Reserve, and Rancho Santa Fe is also able to provide support to neighboring San Diego and coastal fire agencies.

Roman acknowledged Rancho Santa Fe resident Sharron MacDonald for donating the funds to purchase the UTV and the trailer to pull it. The philanthropist has been a huge supporter and her donations have also helped the fire department purchase two drones, auto-extrication tools and handheld radios.

Rancho Santa Fe Fire also recently updated its training tower at the Firefighter Training Facility at Station 2 in 4S Ranch. The facility has a four-story training tower with three burn rooms and three underground vaults simulating confined-space rescue incidents. “The old tower was beginning to suffer,”  Roman said of the structure built over 20 years ago.

Battalion Chief Luke Bennett worked with a private company to develop an add-on to the tower that allows them to continue to train with live fires. The training tower was just put together, and this month they held their first department-wide drill in the tower, with every firefighter participating.

On April 24, the Rancho Santa Fe Rotary will honor and thank local firefighters with the First Responders Appreciation Dinner at the Secret Garden.

Originally Published: April 23, 2025 at 4:44 AM PDT , The San Diego union Tribune, Rancho Santa Fe Review News

Article by Karen Billing. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/04/23/rancho-santa-fe-fire-district-adds-new-engine-off-terrain-vehicle/ 

RSF Fire Protection District hosts tasty Rancho Days Pancake Breakfast

By RANCHO SANTA FE REVIEW

As part of Rancho Days, the RSF Fire Protection District served up pancakes to many attendees at Station One in the village. The event also included Caffe Positano coffee as well as fire engine and equipment displays, station tours and live fire demonstrations.

Photos by Jon Clark

Originally Published: October 15, 2024 at 11:27 a.m.