United States Forest Service

[Aaronw]

1965 Dodge Model 20



Credit USFS archives

[Aaronw]

Sierra National Forest Water Tender 1

2005 Pierce / IH 350 gpm pto pump, 1500 gallon tank



The USFS in California typically uses smaller water tenders capable of negotiating narrow mountain roads. They operate these as "tactical tenders" with a 2 person crew. They can be used as a light engine (with a large water tank) if needed, equipped with a chainsaw, hose packs and capable of pump and roll.



In 2001 the USFS made the first of a large order for water tenders from Pierce. Due to frequent overloading, the top racks were ordered removed in 2010 / 2011.



Photo by Aaron Woods

[Aaronw]

Inyo National Forest Water Tender 31

350 gpm pto pump, 1500 gallon tank



Photo by Aaron Woods

[Aaronw]

Angeles National Forest Water Tender 34

350 gpm pto pump, 1500 gallon tank



Photo by Aaron Woods

[Aaronw]

Angeles National Forest Water Tender 22

350 gpm pto pump, 1500 gallon tank



Photo by Aaron Woods

[Aaronw]

Sierra National Forest water tender (1970s?)



The current form of USFS water tender developed in the late 80s, before that time they tended to use what ever was available, often construction watertrucks shared with USFS road crews.



Credit Sierra National Forest archives

[Monrovia1]

Ex Sierra Madre Water Tender 41 at one time a former USFS Water Tender. The tender was still loaned out to the forest service to assist with phoscheck spraying.

[Monrovia1]

ANF Water Tender 25.

[Monrovia1]

ANF Water Tender 10.

[Aaronw]

Coronado National Forest Engine 35

This is a locally built one off and was essentially a large model 22 to make a type 5 engine. 600 gallon tank, 85 gpm aux pump. It was replaced in 2002-04 with a Model 46.



Photo by Aaron Woods

[Aaronw]

Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest (AZ) Model 46.



250 gpm pto pump, 600 gallon tank

[Pete Muller]

[quote name='Monrovia1' timestamp='1311843531' post='450271']





Ex Sierra Madre Water Tender 41 at one time a former USFS Water Tender. The tender was still loaned out to the forest service to assist with phoscheck spraying.

[/quote]

This unit is now Water Tender 97 at the Baldwin Lake Volunteer Fire Department in the San Bernardino Mountains just northeast of Big Bear Lake

[Aaronw]

San Bernardino National Forest Engine 16, Model 62D with roll up doors. Two engines were built to evaluate the use of roll up doors. Sierra National Forest Engine 11 was the other. It is also equipped with a special foam unit that allows the use of class A foam or a gel that has much longer lasting effects.



500 GPM pto 2 stage pump, 500 gallon tank

[Aaronw]

San Bernardino NF Water Tender 12. This one has had the top rack removed which was ordered late 2010/ early 2011. The racks were frequently overloaded which led to roll over issues. In 2009 unannounced random testing showed many in service tenders were failing the 30 degree roll over test.



350 gpm pto pump, 1500 gallon tank

[Aaronw]

Six Rivers National Forest Water Tender 35



Most forests are using the smaller 1500 gallon tender, but the Six Rivers in Northern California prefers a larger tender.



350 gpm pto pump, 3300 gallon tank

[Aaronw]

Dakota Prarie National Grassland (North Dakota) Engine 7745 Model 52



85 gpm aux pump, 200-300 gallon tank

[Aaronw]

Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest (Nevada) Engine 415. Model 52 Type 4 engine in the alternate white / green scheme.



85 gpm aux pump, 750 gallon tank

[Aaronw]

Shasta Trinity National Forest Engine 334. This is the new Model 326, the standardized type 3 engine adopted nationally by the USFS. They have changed the way the model numbers work, the first number is the type of engine (3,4,6 for the USFS), the second number is a 2 or 4 showing it is a 2 or 4 wheel drive, and the 3rd number is the tank size in hundreds of gallons. So the 326 is a type 3, 2 wheel drive with a 600 gallon tank.



It also sports the new 3 digit identifier, the first number is engine type, the second is district and the last is station.



The 326 has adopted a single stage 250 gpm pto pump in place of the long used Darley JMP500 2 stage 500 gpm pump ( a step backwards in my opinion). It has a 600 gallon tank.

[Aaronw]

San Bernardino National Forest 1935 Chevrolet Tanker Truck (engine)



Credit San Bernardino National Forest Archives

[Aaronw]

Plumas National Forest Engine 22

IH / Pierce 4x4 Model 62D

500 gpm 2 stage pto pump, 500 gallon tank