New, state-of-the-art Bushfire Tanker - Ballina
Published: 19 Jun 2023 12:34pm
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.
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,” Captain Vanderburg said.
“It can access rugged terrain to get to an emergency scene and the CAFS technology combined with a 3500-litre 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.”
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.
“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.”
Updated: 19 Jun 2023 12:38pm
Related Tweets
Fire and Rescue NSW via Twitter
@FRNSW
Details about this incident may change and should not be used as emergency information and/or advice.
For all life threatening emergencies, call Triple Zero (000)
For flood information, warnings or requests for non-life threatening assistance, call the SES on 132 500 or visit the NSW State Emergency Service website here. [external link].
For information directly relating to bushfires please call the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737 or visit the NSW Rural Fire Service Website here. [external link]
Stations nearby
60 Tamarind Drive, Ballina NSW 2478
1 Mellis Circuit, Alstonville NSW 2477
56 Byron Street, Bangalow NSW 2479