Improving upon our current fleet, the innovative response vehicle will help crews reach off-road callouts and extinguish fires involving large areas of grassland, which are on the rise.
The state-of-the-art appliance was exhibited at the Emergency Services Show in Birmingham last year, and will be going operational at Rushmoor Fire Station next month for the start of the wildfire season, replacing the station’s previous wildfire vehicle.
Last year, firefighters from the north Hampshire station responded to large wildfires on their patch such as at Blackwater and Yateley Common, as well as in other areas across Hampshire and its neighbouring services.
The new vehicle enhances our response to these call-outs, but also improves our off-road capability including in snowy and icy conditions.
Our teams have already completed their training on the appliance which will be crewed by two firefighters and boasts a 3,000 litre water tank, two high pressure hose reels, as well as the ability to pump from open water.
A front and rear mounted drenching system, which can operate when the vehicle is travelling, will allow large areas of heathland to be dampened down quicker.
Fleet Operations Manager, Colin Carter said:
“Across Hampshire and Isle of Wight we are blessed with lots of beautiful greenspaces, so it is important that we have the vehicles equipped to tackle incidents on different terrain.
“Each year we are seeing more wildfires across our areas, so it is important we look for new and innovative ways of tackling these incidents.
“Working in conjunction with Emergency One, we consulted with our crews who ride the current wildfire units, to build a brand-new user-friendly fire engine designed to help firefighters stop outdoor fires as quickly and safely as possible.”
