Monday, August 30, 2010

NJ Forest Fire Service has a new water tender


I was at a local 4H fair in western NJ over the weekend, one I attend each year. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service always has a table at this fair. So last Thursday afternoon I wondered over to the Community exhibit tent and saw the water tender in the photo above parked outside the tent, with a sign that said something like

"What in the world is this thing? Go inside and ask at the New Jersey Forest Fire booth"

I knew that this is a water tender, and I went in and asked about it. It turns out that this water tender is brand new, and has not been used at a fire yet. The chassis was obtained through the Federal Excess Property Program (FEEP), and the tanker (1,200 gallons) come from one of their older trucks. I believe that the water tender will be used by Division A of the NJFFS (northern NJ).

As I understand it, water tenders, when deployed to wildfires in NJ, are used to fill up tanks on NJFFS brush trucks or engines (200 to 250 gallons) that are working a fire. I am going to stop here, because I want to try find out more information on this water tender and how it might be used. I have some information, but have a couple of questions that I would like to get answered before writing more about this water tender. I also have some more photos for you. So stay tuned.

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