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I'll try hosting, should be up momentarily.

Anyone available in the next few hours for a game? Presently 14:32 EST...

I'll do my best! The Task Force/Light Force concept is all about flexibility of resources. The basic element, the Task Force consists of a single fully staffed 4 man Engine (ex. Engine 88), a 5 man Truck (Truck 88) and a single man Engine (Engine 288) that is refered to as the pumper or "Two Car". The goal is to get 10 men on scene quickly and efficiently with every tool in the shed so to speak. The Task Force (TF) can then be split up into the Single Engine Co. (E88) and the Light Force (LF) of T88 and E288. Wherever the Truck goes, so goes the 2 Car, even if its just to grab groceries at the store, or a medical aid, or traffic accident. This allows the LF to act as either a fully manned truck or an extra staffed engine with all of the tools of both. This also allows for the pumper to supply the truck a water source for its aerial master streams without having to tie up an engine company.

Most Fire Stations have an Engine company there and some are full Task Force houses. There are a few Light Force only houses, such as Fire Station 102 that has just T102, E302 and the Paramedic Rescue Ambulance 102. Because of the area and size of the station, the Light Force there is truly a jack of all trades and is one of the busiest in the nation responding on every call in it's first in.

Now when you mention a structure fire, you have to once again go back to the word Flexibility. Depending on the type of structure, the exposures (other buildings around the involved unit) and who gets there in what order the Light Force can be utilized in various ways. A Typical Single Story Single Family dwelling will have the first Engine go into Fire Attack with the 2nd in unit grabbing the Hydrant and supplying the 1st one. If the Light Force is 2nd in, it's not uncommon and many time preferable to use the Two Car Engine as a pumper and do the supply, thereby freeing up the next engine in. The Truck company will either go into Roof Ops or search and rescue, secure the utilities, or any of the other numerous tasks the great men and women truckies do. But depending on the area and the situation, it's not uncommon to get a Light Force and a Task Force dispatched to the same incident and have either light force be pressed into service as an engine company for fire attack.

As i've mentioned elsewhere on this board, many of the Engines in the LAFD are either Paramedic or Paramedic Assessment Engines. This allows the nearest paramedic unit to be dispatched to calls warranting Advanced Life Support care. With a population as large as Los Angeles City, the Rescue Ambulances are taxed with transport, delays in off loading patients and routine medical aids. By supplementing the ambulances with Paramedic Engines, the load is distributed better and care is rendered quicker. Because of that, LA City and County have found that by using the Light Force you still have an Engine in the house most of the time even if the Light Force or Engine Co are running a call. Once again, it's all about Flexibility.

You also ask about traffic accidents. The dispatch matrix for a traffic accident with possible injuries but no entrapment would call for either the nearest Engine OR Light Force to respond. Which ever one is closer responds to get men on scene quicker. If there is a need for extrication beyond what an Engine Co can do, they will either request an additional Light Force for a door pop for example, or upgrade to a Physical Rescue Assignment which involves a complex algorithm and matrix to determine what units are sent from an EMS supervisor, Battalion Chief, whether or not to send a USAR squad, or the Heavy Rescue Tow Vehicle. By Rescue Company, I believe you are referring to something similar to our USAR Squads. Bassically a large apparatus with Rescue, Shoring and Extrication equipment but no Aerial ladders, pump, water tank or hose. There are only a couple of these through out the city and they are staffed by 2 firefighters. Their use is never as a first choice, but say for example LF 88 is on a call and Engine 88 needs a door pop, well USAR88 can respond much quicker then the next nearest LF. I have seen Freeway assignements with just the USAR and the RA but that was due to the entire Task Force being on a different run and move up companies hadn't quite reached the area yet.

I hope that gives you a little bit more insight into the Task Force/Light Force concept. I know that in addition to LA City and County, Bellvue Wash. also runs Light Forces and I'm sure a few others do throughout the US. The hard part is the additional staffing, maintenance, and space requirements needed. For many departments, a 5 man Quint fits better into their budget. The benefit of the Light Force over the quint is that it doesn't have the same compromises you hear from those who utilize them.

Mike.

Mike, that's a lot of help. And it really is a neat concept, I'm more used to the FDNY or Baltimore City way of staffing each piece of apparatus with a designated crew, and having those units respond to designated calls (clearly with some flexibility). Also I was wondering, what is the (rough) percentage of ALS engines to non-ALS engines in LA (county or city)? I hate to bug you with question, but you've made me curious.

Mike, can you elaborate a bit more on the Light Force concept? On a structure fire, who secures the hydrant for the engine (do the crews split up on dispatch)? I'm also assuming since it's the city, each piece of apparatus traditionally connects to its own hydrant?

Furthermore, is it traditional to see a light force (with the truck) dispatched to a vehicle accident, does it go to a rescue company, or do they just take the engine (pending it actually has rescue equipment)?

It's not really vital to how I play the game, but it really is a different concept I haven't heard a lot about on this side of the country.

Is there anyone with detail photos of a Seagrave fire engine? I could really use some

Any specific year you're looking for?

Are you able to change the EMS Car to an SUV like the batillian chief..only mabey a different color like white or something to tell it is different and name it mabey an EMS supervisor unit or Support Unit. All the gear except the stretcher obviously.

I'd like this idea, though I don't think it'd be terribly difficult to edit in manually. The Bomb Squad SUV is basically the right paint/color scheme; it just needs different equipment onboard.

As an example:

On board both units are drugs, oxygen, and trauma kits. The unit is staffed by a Fire/EMS supervisor (similar to a battalion chief). As far as I know, many other areas across the country have similar vehicles.

Most of the pictures I've taken are available on my Picasa Web Album.

http://picasaweb.google.com/amosscott