Bakersfield, Calif., specified a brush patrol rig with a low-profile body for improved stability and visibility. The pump panel and booster reel are located at the rear to keep them low and make them more accessible. With the booster hose paying out behind the vehicle, there's also less chance that the hose will become entangled with the rear wheels during pump-and-roll operations. The pump and tank are nicely matched and can handle a variety of vegetation fires, from heavier brush to lighter grass. Finally, mounting the warning lightbar on the body avoids the installation expense and potential cab leaks associated with mounting warning lights on the cab.

Norco, in the rapidly growing Riverside County area of Southern California, needed a brush truck that could also support off-road rescue operations. The body has plenty of compartments with roll-up doors to carry a variety of over-the-side and rough-terrain rescue gear. A winch is mounted on the front bumper and two raisable lights provide illumination. The rear pump panel keeps the operator safely out of traffic during roadside operations, while allowing good visibility along both sides of the vehicle. To enhance the firefighting capability of the unit, the department specified a compressed-air foam system that can match the full pump output.

Ventura County, Calif., went a step further and specified a paramedic brush engine that can handle wildland fires, structure protection, rescues and emergency medical service calls throughout the hilly wildland areas that border the more populated parts of the county. With a big pump, big tank and seating for five firefighters, the rig can provide good structure protection for the many homes that dot the brush-covered hillsides. It also can handle vehicle accidents and medical calls along the backroads of the area without tying up a larger, less maneuverable engine. The department has 11 similar units. They are usually stationed along with a structure pumper in the outlying areas of the county.

Arlington, Texas, saw an opportunity to protect their local municipal airport and some nearby wildland areas with the same apparatus. They knew that both areas needed a vehicle with all-wheel drive, a large water tank and a remote-controlled monitor for easy operation. By specifying a rugged off-road brush truck and adding both Class A and Class B foam capability, they got a versatile unit that can make a sustained attack on brush fires or support airport firefighting operations. The unit is stationed at the airport along with a pumper.

Bakersfield

• Ford F-550 4×4 chassis
• Ford Triton V-10 engine
• Automatic transmission
• Master Body Works body
• 100gpm Waterous pump
• 300-gallon water tank
• FoamPro foam proportioning system
• 15-gallon Class A foam cell
• Rear pump panel
• Rear booster reel
• Warning lightbar mounted on body
• Trailer hitch

Norco

• Ford F-550 4×4 chassis
• International T444E engine
• Automatic transmission
• E-One body
• 250gpm Waterous pump
• 200-gallon water tank
• FoamPro foam proportioning system
• 40-gallon Class A foam cell
• 120cfm Pneumax CAFS
• Rear pump panel
• Warning lightbar mounted on body
• 7.5-ton Warn winch

Ventura County

• International 7400 4×2 chassis
• International DT530 engine
• Automatic transmission
• West-Mark body
• 500gpm Darley pump
• 500-gallon water tank
• FoamPro foam proportioning system
• 20-gallon Class A foam cell
• Paramedic gear
• Hinged metal hosebed covers
• 6-ton Warn winch

Arlington

• International 7400 4×4 chassis
• International engine
• Automatic transmission
• S&S Fire Apparatus body
• 230gpm Waterous pump
• 1,000-gallon water tank
• FoamPro foam proportioning system
• 20-gallon Class A foam cell
• 30-gallon Class B foam cell
• Elkhart Sidewinder remote-controlled monitor
• Booster line and two ¾-inch preconnects
• Warning lightbar mounted on body