The Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) station at Ballina is boasting an impressive addition to its fleet, a $530-thousand-dollar Bushfire Tanker, designed to extinguish blazes safely and more efficiently. The Isuzu four-wheel-drive is designed to operate in rugged conditions, allowing firefighters to tackle everything from a truck blaze on the highways to bushfires threatening life and property.
One of 18 new firefighting appliances in the field following the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires, the tanker is equipped with a Compressed Air Foam System (CAFS), which puts out fires faster than traditional tankers, reducing harm to people and damage to structures and the environment.
Improved safety technology
It also features improved safety technology like the ‘Halo’ system, which sprays a shield of water
It also features improved safety technology like the ‘Halo’ system, which sprays a shield of water over the truck cabin to protect the crew during bushfires.
The new vehicle will improve emergency response for the local Ballina community and provide greater protection for residents. Ballina Captain, Glenn Vanderburg, said the truck’s arrival represents a significant boost to his crew’s capabilities.
“This tanker increases our ability to deal with urban and rural emergencies,” said Captain Vanderburg.
Access rugged terrain
“It can access rugged terrain to get to an emergency scene, and the CAFS technology, combined with a 3500-liter water tank, gives us greater capacity in a bushfire tanker than ever before. We are really proud to show off the latest addition to our fleet,” adds Captain Vanderburg.
Emergency Services Minister, Jihad Dib, said the truck is one of 18 new firefighting appliances in the field following the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires.
Jihad Dib states, “The new fleet of Bushfire Tankers has met one of the Bushfire Inquiry’s key recommendations and has bolstered FRNSW’s capabilities across the state, allowing our firefighters to continue their lifesaving work in protecting our communities.”
