A truck for the rookie drivers!!!

[2ndgen]

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y299/EdGlaze/th_FireBrushTruck1.jpg :) :) :)

[MalahatTwo7]

Ok... I was (or so I thought) prepared to see anything... Apparently I was WRONG! :D:D

[Shoreman22]

I bet that truck could reduce your commuting time on I95... :rolleyes:

[RFRDxplorer]

It looks like an inverted Duck boat frame on top of a 5 ton.

[doughesson]

It looks like an inverted Duck boat frame on top of a 5 ton.
Since the DUKW is essentially a Duece and a half with a boat hull welded to it and a PTO to turn the screw when waterborne,you don't sound too far off track.

[hwoods]

Since the DUKW is essentially a Duece and a half with a boat hull welded to it and a PTO to turn the screw when waterborne,you don't sound too far off track.

Doug, You ever run a DUKW?? I was a Driver for a FD that had one. It was FUN. Except when no one remembered the drain plug.............. :eek: :eek: :eek:

[CaptainGonzo]

That is known as a "Brush Breaker"...

In Massachusetts the fire departments in Plymouth, Bristol and Barnstable Counties have a lot of these. They literally drive through the woods with them to reach the fire. These areas are a lot like the pine barrens of New jersey.. who have similar rigs just for that purpose.

A history of Cape Cod Brush Breakers can be found here...

http://capecodfd.com/PAGES%20Special/Breakers00.htm

[RFRDxplorer]

Since the DUKW is essentially a Duece and a half with a boat hull welded to it and a PTO to turn the screw when waterborne,you don't sound too far off track.


Thanks Doug! I did not know that.

hwoods, How are they to drive?

[hwoods]

Like Driving a deuce and a half. :D :D Gears were not syncronized, steering was power, well.... sort of power. An absolutely "Must Do" was drive VERY gently when coming out of the water, due to the type of brakes. When the brake shoes were wet, you weren't going to stop. Period. I did come up with one neat thing though. Our Firefighting ability was restricted to our 250 GPM @ 125 PSI Portable Pump. That pump was a real Bytch to prime, so I put a "Bell" strainer on the suction Sleeve, then started the pump. with the DUK going forward, and the Suction Hose hung over the side with the strainer facing forward, the truck's momentum pushed water up into the pump, no need to prime. Neat Trick. Even with All Wheel Drive, the damn thing got stuck a number of times. :D

[Driver76]

The department I served with in Fla. had a '66 duce and a half. It had a 1000 gallon oval tank (unbaffled :eek: ) and "arm strong" power steering ... if you've never had to drive one then you don't know what fun OR frustration are all about. :rolleyes:

[CALFFBOU]

Ugh- Sorry, but what a waste. Arent there better ways to access wildland fires.

[2ndgen]

Like airborne! It serves it's purpose well though, looks like!

[XCAPT1]

The truck in the picture is a Long Island Stump Jumper. As CaptianGonzo said they are used to drive to the fire and also around the fire to cut it off. We try to use paths as much as possible but that is not always possible. The difference between the Brush Breaker and Stump Jumpers is the main push bar on the front and the crew cage in the rear. The Brush Breakers have a very high front push bar. Stump Jumpers are starting to move in that direction. The Stump Jumpers have a full cage on the rear of the truck for the crew to operate from. Brush Breakers don't have as much protection.

CaptianGonzo: Do Brush Breakers pump and roll like our Stump Jumpers? Or do they push to the fire then stretch hose?

Stay Safe

[hwoods]

Ugh- Sorry, but what a waste. Arent there better ways to access wildland fires.

In a Word, NO! :eek: :eek: :eek:

[MalahatTwo7]

Sure there are. But they require the use of aircraft and silly people to jump out of them. :) And then they only have the tools they can carry with them. Most times thats enough, but well ya know Mr Murphy and his friends.....

Actually I'd love to have one of those as a personal vehicle just for driving around the District with! :D