State grants Type 1 designation to Rio Vista Fire Department

The California Office of Emergency Services this week designated the Rio Vista Fire Department as a Type 1 fire response agency — and with that designation came a new fire engine on loan from the state.

On Tuesday, fire personnel from Rio Vista went to Sacramento to receive training on Fire Engine 2127 as well as to bring the vehicle back to the city, where it will be kept at Fire Station 55.

The California Office of Emergency Services, also known as Cal OES, operates the statewide fire and rescue initiative in partnership with local agencies.

"California is the only state in the country still running this program, and it is the cornerstone of California's fire and rescue mutual aid system," a spokesperson for the Rio Vista Fire Department said in a social media post.

In June, Rio Vista's fire chief submitted an application to join the program, and recently heard back from state officials that the agency had been selected to participate. A spokesperson for the fire department said schedules will be adapted, so firefighters are always on staff if a local strike team has to be deployed.

"The fire chief met with staff and discussed this program several times, [and] every member was given the opportunity to express concerns," the spokesperson said. "Monitoring the impacts of this program and the benefit to the community will be an ongoing process."