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With 600 pounds of hay now burning and smoking, we put the crew to work scratching a quickie fire line. The hay gives us a lot of heat and smoke, for training, while allowing us to keep it a safe and controlled as possible.
Category Photography / Human
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 1280 x 960px
File Size 217.3 kB
It's a mil-surp 1968 6x6 with a Continental multi fuel diesel engine. We obtained it as surplus property through the Volunteer Fire Assistance Program http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/partners/.....help/guide.htm and had a local company modify it into a forestry truck.
Traditionally we would have done the build in house, but since a neighboring FD had a truck roll over in a parking lot at about 10mph we are no longer allowed to build trucks in house.
We added a roll cage, brush guard and cut the front and rear sections of the stock bed off the truck. We then added a custom built 1000 gallon poly tank with an integral 10 gallon foam cell to the remaining portion the the original truck bed. Then we used 2" square tubing to build a frame around the tank, to hold it in place.
Behind the cab we added a large steel storage box with ROM http://www.romcorp.com/ roll up doors to store our gear, with a re-enforced box on the passenger side slung beneath the storage box to hold 5 Indian tanks. On top of the storage box we added a box containing two reels equipped with 200 feet of 1" booster line, The box was recycled of a mid 1960 Bean high pressure fire engine. The traditional heavy rubber booster line was replaced by a more modern product called reel-tex http://www.niedner.com/en/products_.....?productId=630 that weighs about 1/10 of what an equal amount of rubber booster line weighs.
Behind the tank we added a new deck that holds two pumps, a class "A" foam system and a pre-connected 1 1/2" attack line.
The truck is equipped with a BB-4 four stage high-pressure pump, that supplies one 1 1/2" discharge and the two booster reels. The Robwen class "A" foam system http://www.robwen.com/foam_systems.htm is also tied into this pump. The second pump is a Hale medium pressure high flow pump that feeds the 1 1/2" per-connected attack line and a secondary 2 1/2" discharge. Both pumps are protected by a cage made from 1 1/2" steel tubing.
We also added a mix of 24 volt and 12 volt (after adding a 12volt system) lights to the truck. We added a large number of scene lights / work lights for night time operations as well as the traditional warning lights, siren and communications equipment.
*takes a deep breath*
OK now that I got that all out...... *pounces and huggs*
Traditionally we would have done the build in house, but since a neighboring FD had a truck roll over in a parking lot at about 10mph we are no longer allowed to build trucks in house.
We added a roll cage, brush guard and cut the front and rear sections of the stock bed off the truck. We then added a custom built 1000 gallon poly tank with an integral 10 gallon foam cell to the remaining portion the the original truck bed. Then we used 2" square tubing to build a frame around the tank, to hold it in place.
Behind the cab we added a large steel storage box with ROM http://www.romcorp.com/ roll up doors to store our gear, with a re-enforced box on the passenger side slung beneath the storage box to hold 5 Indian tanks. On top of the storage box we added a box containing two reels equipped with 200 feet of 1" booster line, The box was recycled of a mid 1960 Bean high pressure fire engine. The traditional heavy rubber booster line was replaced by a more modern product called reel-tex http://www.niedner.com/en/products_.....?productId=630 that weighs about 1/10 of what an equal amount of rubber booster line weighs.
Behind the tank we added a new deck that holds two pumps, a class "A" foam system and a pre-connected 1 1/2" attack line.
The truck is equipped with a BB-4 four stage high-pressure pump, that supplies one 1 1/2" discharge and the two booster reels. The Robwen class "A" foam system http://www.robwen.com/foam_systems.htm is also tied into this pump. The second pump is a Hale medium pressure high flow pump that feeds the 1 1/2" per-connected attack line and a secondary 2 1/2" discharge. Both pumps are protected by a cage made from 1 1/2" steel tubing.
We also added a mix of 24 volt and 12 volt (after adding a 12volt system) lights to the truck. We added a large number of scene lights / work lights for night time operations as well as the traditional warning lights, siren and communications equipment.
*takes a deep breath*
OK now that I got that all out...... *pounces and huggs*
I live in the southeast. Large fast fires are rare here. The hardwood forest stays fairly most so most fires don't spread much. Most fire activity is done to maintain pine stands. I have not been on a fire line yet, though i have observed from a short distance. My degree is forestry/wildlife with an urban emphasis. I have been getting to know the folk who do the burns to get in on one.
Well I'm up here in the northeast, and the fact that out local national forest is nicknamed the "Asbestos Forest" should give you a hint on the number of large wildfires we see here.
Well if you can get in on a prescribed burn it should give you an idea if you like fighting wildfires. But if you want to try and be a dirt dart, then you'll need to get out west and get some experience. There are several ways to get out west on wildfires, while wtill staying in the southeast. If you're interested I can send you a note with some ideas.
Stay Safe
Fyr
"
Well if you can get in on a prescribed burn it should give you an idea if you like fighting wildfires. But if you want to try and be a dirt dart, then you'll need to get out west and get some experience. There are several ways to get out west on wildfires, while wtill staying in the southeast. If you're interested I can send you a note with some ideas.
Stay Safe
Fyr
"
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