San Bernardino County

[chcmedic93]

[quote name='Juice' timestamp='1303777685' post='436836']

Is it common practice in California for departments to label the trucks as "ME..." for Medic Engine and so on? I hadn't really heard of this until I started checking out California apparatus.



Thanks,

Trav!

[/quote]



That seemed to become popular in the 90's, when ALS on engines was just starting to become more commonplace in California. It helped identify the EMS capability of a particular unit, when an ALS capable fire engine/truck/squad was more the exception then the rule. Nowadays, at least in many areas of Southern California, agencies have stopped using the "Medic Engine" or "Medic Truck" designations. I think the primary reason for many agencies dropping that designator is that it became unnecessary once all or most of the units went ALS 24/7. Examples I can think of are most San Diego County agencies and Riverside County agencies (both, for the most part, stopped using it). San Bernardino County continues to use that designation, and it makes sense when not all the paid companies in the county are ALS.