Fire Crews

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San Bernardino County Fire Station #14  

 February 25, 2023

SBCF Battalion Chief/PIO Mike McClintock

 mmcclintock@sbcfire.org

A significant amount of snow in the Wrightwood area has complicated travel near in the mountain communities. Friday, February 24th the San Bernardino County Fire Department Station #14 Firefighters rescued multiple parties trapped in their vehicles on treacherous or impassible roads.

Additional personnel staffed a Snow Cat at Fire Station #14 making sure they were ready for the increase in calls in and around Wrightwood. The new Snow Cat was vital for rescue crews to safely access incidents, as well as allow for safe evacuation in both incidents.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff Search & Rescue Team requested Snow Cat (SC) 14 to assist with a search/rescue operation near Jackson Lake. SC14 responded to help locate and evacuate three adults and a dog after their vehicle became stuck in a ditch. In snowy, extreme cold temperatures, rescuers and firefighters traveled multiple miles to the victims and cut multiple trees with chainsaws along the route to the victims’ destination. Once arrived, the firefighter-paramedics warmed and assessed the victims who were cold, but uninjured.

Thankfully, all parties, the victims, the crew, the LA County Search and Rescue Team, along with the SBCF Snow Cat staff, arrived back to the incident command post, safely.

San Bernardino County Fire Station #14 firefighter-paramedic crews were requested to help locate and evacuate two adults who became stuck on a remote road near Gobblers Knob, north of Lytle Creek and southeast of Wrightwood. The snow was so thick crews had to plow multiple miles into get access to the stranded victims. Also, both of those parties were non-injured and safely rescued. 

  

The new SB County Fire Station #14 Snow Cat has been vital for multiple rescues this Winter. 

The 2021 Pisten Bully is fitted with a plow, diesel engine and seats 8-10 people.

 

For more information about driving in snowy conditions see CHPs website for useful tips:

https://www.chp.ca.gov/programs-services/services-information/winter-driving-tips (https://www.chp.ca.gov/programs-services/services-information/winter-driving-tips)