Fire engine donated by Kern County Fire now in Ukraine responding to Russian drone attacks

This is the story of an aging Kern County fire truck that in its retirement years has found a whole new level of heroic usefulness more than 6,000 miles from its former home in Central California.

The four-wheel drive firefighting vehicle was donated by the Kern County Fire Department to US Ambulances for Ukraine, an Illinois-based nonprofit that sends donated ambulances, fire trucks and other vehicles to hot spots in Ukraine where war-weary residents are suffering from Russian missile and drone attacks, fires, collapsed buildings and other more normal emergencies.

The white and blue truck, with its 500-gallon water tank, was shipped to the organization in October, trucked to Baltimore, loaded on a ship with two ambulances bound for Germany, then driven through Poland with a police escort, where it finally crossed into Ukraine.

"People love seeing American fire trucks driving through their country," said Chris Manson, the president and founder of the nonprofit.

"We had an American flag and Ukrainian flag flying on the back."

The vehicles were driven to the port city of Odessa, Manson said. Within days, the truck was serviced and outfitted and ready for action.

It didn't have long to wait.

"Last weekend, it responded over and over to waves of drone attacks," Manson said.

Because of its 4-wheel drive capability to climb steep grades and debris-littered landscapes, the fire engine's call sign was named "Little White Goat."

"I have videos of the fire truck I can't share," he said, out of fear that they might provide Russian forces with some bit of useful intelligence.

"You can see anti-aircraft fire flying over it," he said. "It's a dark night, and there's the engine.

"As the volunteer firefighters watch, you can see the tracers, hear the drone motors overhead and hear the explosions."

The little engine that could is working in a combat zone, along with the volunteer firefighters.

Manson said he asked for a fire hose, and it was there along with a bunch of other donated equipment.

Jonathan Drucker, a public information officer with the Kern County Fire Department, said the department's vehicles serve three lifetimes before any consideration is given to donating vehicles.

First, they serve for years on the front lines, he said. Then they serve in reserve, and finally in their third phase, they serve as a training apparatus.

"They are vehicles that have served three different lifetimes," Drucker said.

But in the case of Little White Goat, there's a fourth lifetime.

It's not unusual for departments, including KCFD, to find a community in need of firefighting equipment, but without the resources to buy it new.

"Mexico is one of the places where we have donated fire equipment in the past," Drucker said.

If the equipment has the potential to protect the lives of the people of a community, then the donation may be approved.

"It's a responsible way to retire a vehicle," he said.

The Kern County Board of Supervisors has to approve any donation request," he confirmed. "This is for all county departments."

To Manson, it's astonishing to realize that ambulances, fire trucks and other vehicles — 90 in all — have been donated from all corners of the United States to assist Ukraine it its national emergency.

Thousands of Ukrainians have been killed and hundreds of thousands more have been wounded in the war that has lasted more than two years.

"The firefighters who use the equipment and the people of Ukraine who benefit from it are incredibly grateful for these donations," Manson said.

They show that someone cares.