Jim Belford and Paul Kingston, co-owners of Creative Fire Apparatus, were recognized by Smart CEO magazine with a Circle of Excellence Award for creating the Hydra H-1, a mini-sized, full-capacity emergency vehicle.

The patent-pending Hydra H-1 has full water-pumping ability, compressed-air foam, specialized tool storage and patient-transport capacity. The chassis — despite its payload equivalent to two full-sized fire trucks — can fit within the tightest of spaces, even inside buildings like government complexes, shopping centers and sports arenas, and yet is capable of fighting fires on rough terrain such as sand, agricultural, and wooded areas.

The vehicle served as a patient transport vehicle at the Polar Bear Plunge, held in January at Sandy Point State Park in Maryland, where it took persons to the emergency service tent for care after collapsing from being in the frigid water.