On Friday, June 28, 2019 the Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue Department officially took possession of  CAL OES Fire Engine no. 302 from the State of California, Governor’s Office of Emergency Medical Services, Fire and Rescue Division. Fire Chief Dan Stefano, Captain Joe Noceti, Captain Chuck Torres, and Engineer Steve Savage traveled to the Garden Grove Fire Department to pick up the engine in an agreement facilitated through CAL OES Region Fire Chief Dave Stone.  The engine will be housed at Fire Station no. 4 located at 2300 Placentia.

“We appreciate this highly valued opportunity to take on the assignment of an OES engine,” said Chief Stefano. “We have been in close contact with CAL OES over the course of many years making both formal and informal requests for this assignment, and today marks the day this expanded partnership with CAL OES begins.  This is a very special day for Costa Mesa.”

The State of California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services has responsibility for administering the California Fire Service and Rescue Emergency Mutual Aid Plan.  This plan, in which the City of Costa Mesa participates, provides emergency resources to be shared throughout the state during major emergencies, which exceed the capability of a local jurisdiction to mitigate on their own.  This includes emergencies such as wildfires, floods, and earthquakes.  As part of the statewide mutual aid system, CAL OES has purchased fire apparatus and equipment for responding to incidents in furtherance of the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid Plan.

These fire apparatuses are assigned, through agreement, to fire departments throughout the state to be staged for CAL OES purposes and for use by local jurisdictions.

In Orange County, CAL OES fire engines are currently assigned to Anaheim Fire & Rescue, Fountain Valley Fire Department, Huntington Beach Fire Department, Laguna Beach Fire Department, and now the Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue Department.

For questions please contact Captain Joe Noceti, Public Information Officer of Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue at (714) 754-5091.