The Next Engine for the Next Emergency

Dear Kings Mountain Resident,

I am writing to ask for your support in replacing one of our most critical pieces of firefighting equipment: Engine 356 (E356).

E356 is a four-wheel-drive, short-wheelbase fire engine built for all-terrain responses and difficult to reach locations. Its size and maneuverability allow it to access wildfires in remote open space areas, along with homes on our narrow, steep mountain roads that larger fire engines cannot reach.

E356’s value extends well beyond firefighting. It is our primary response vehicle for trees and power lines downed during major winter storms, helping keep evacuation routes open and roads passable. It is also our first choice apparatus for helicopter landing zone support, where every minute saved can make a critical difference during a medical emergency.

E356 responds to approximately 130 incidents each year. During the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire, E356 extinguished four fires on Kings Mountain when no other fire resources were available along with holding the Loma Mar fire line for three days until Cal Fire resources arrived.

Now 23 years old, E356 is nearing the end of its useful life. Maintenance costs continue to rise, repairs are becoming more frequent and extended out-of-service times are leaving our community at greater risk. Last year alone, E356 was out of service for more than six weeks due to major pump system repairs.

National Fire Apparatus Standards recommend a maximum 25 year service life for front line engines, meaning E356 should be replaced by 2028. New Type 3 fire engines take one to three years to build. We must place an order this year to replace E356 before the expiration of its expected service life.

Replacing E356 is a significant challenge. A new Type 3 wildland engine now costs more than $800,000 — far beyond what the Kings Mountain Volunteer Fire Brigade (KMVFB) can fund through annual donations and Kings Mountain Art Fair proceeds alone. We have applied for a FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and are pursuing San Mateo County Measure K funding. Even if we secure all the available grants, there will be a significant funding gap.