Our Apparatuses

The following is a brief description of all the Hughson Fire Departments current in-service apparatus and their primary functions. All Hughson Fire Department apparatus will end in number 39. This is due to all fire department stations within Stanislaus County now having an assigned station number.

Engine #39

Engine 39 (E39) is a 2020 Pierce Impel type 1 engine. E39 is our first out apparatus and is equipped for most of our emergency responses including structure fires, vehicle fires, vehicle accidents, rescues, emergency medical services and other call types.

E39 is our newest engine and was designed to be almost 100% identical to our previous first out, engine 239. Having these two engines almost identical has proven to be extremely beneficial from an operational standpoint and being able to expedite driver operator training.

E39 when paid in full will have been partially paid for by the volunteers from the proceeds of the annual chicken BBQ fundraiser.

Engine #239

Engine 239 (E239) is a 2015 Pierce Impel type 1 engine. E239 is our second out apparatus for emergency responses including structure fires, vehicle fires, vehicle accidents, rescues, and other call types. E239 would become the first out engine when E39 is in for service or maintenance.

E239 is our mutual aid engine that will respond to our neighboring departments when called upon to assist directly at a scene of an emergency, or to cover their district while they are committed to an emergency call.

E239 when paid in full near the end of 2023, the “volunteers” will have paid approximately 45% of its total original cost. Proceeds from the annual chicken BBQ fund raiser allowed the volunteers the opportunity to help the fire department purchase E239 and E39.

Engine #339

Engine 339 (E339) is a 1991 Pierce Dash type 1 engine. E339 is our 3rd out apparatus that is primarily a reserve engine should E39 or E239 be out of service for maintenance or repairs. Although E339 is now over 30 years old, it is still qualified to function as a type 1 engine and perform many of the tasks that E39 or E239 provides. However, due to today’s needs and requirements of fire engines, and the growth of the community within the Hughson Fire Protection District, E339 is best suited as a reserve apparatus to be used on a temporary basis.

E339, as it has been since the year 2000, plays a very important role every year in December. It is during this time of the year, E339 gets a bit of a makeover and becomes Santa Claus’s sleigh and is paraded around town during Operation Santa. For that reason alone, E339 will be around for the unforeseeable future.

Water Tender #39

Water Tender 39 (WT39) is a 2010 Hi-Tech Kenworth 3,000-gallon water tender. WT39’s primary purpose is to deliver water to the scene of structure fires, vegetation fires and large vehicle fires in the rural areas where there are no fire hydrants, or other means of a water source. WT39 also responds to mutual aid requests from other fire departments that require multiple water tenders at the scene of a fire.

If need be, WT39 can also act as a limited fire engine as it does carry a small amount fire attack hose lines and a large top side mounted deck gun.

Grass #39

Grass 39 (G39) is a 2008 Pierce Ford F550. The primary purpose of G39 is to be used as a quick attack grass and vegetation fire apparatus. G39 would be used for roadside, field, or river bottom fires. G39 is also called upon to assist in county and out of county agencies for larger vegetation fires. G39 has provided statewide strike team mutual aid services on numerous occasions since it was originally put into service.

G39 is also used to respond to provide manpower at the scene of structure fires and vehicle accidents. It also is used to pull our water rescue boat.

Water Rescue #39

Water Rescue 39 (WR39) is a 2007 14-foot Zodiac boat with a 30HP Mercury engine. WR39 is used to search for and or rescue those in need on the Tuolumne River within the Hughson Fire Departments boundaries. The launch of WR39 usually would take place at Fox Grove fishing access. WR39 has also served other fire departments within Stanislaus County for water rescue operations.

Utility #39

Utility 39 (U39) is a 2012 Ford F350 that primarily serves as the fire chief’s command vehicle. This vehicle will be used as a command post at the scene of a larger incident such as structure fires, vegetation fires or vehicle accidents. It is equipped with basic medical aid life support equipment like what is carried on the fire engines.

It also has a 163-gallon water tank with a 120GPM pump and 200 feet of 1” fire hose. This will allow U39 to also be utilized as a quick attack apparatus for vegetation fires or car fires.

U39 at times will also be used by one of our Captains on a rotating basis who will be the on-call officer for an evening or weekend overseeing the emergency calls during that time.

Utility #239

Utility 239 (U239) is a 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe that primarily serves as the assistant fire chief’s command vehicle. This vehicle like U39 is also used as a command post at the scene of a larger incident such as structure fires, vegetation fires or vehicle accidents. It is equipped with basic medical aid life support equipment like what is carried on the fire engines.

However, it is configured in the back area of the Tahoe with a greater number of tools and organizational set up to support an incident commander vs. U39.

U239 at times will also be used by one of our Captains on a rotating basis who will be the on-call officer for an evening or weekend overseeing the emergency calls during that time.

When U239 was acquired, it was cooperatively purchased along with the City of Hughson. We thank them for their support in acquiring the command vehicle, it has proven to have been a very important investment to our community.