Private contract fire equipment

[Aaronw]

A converted passenger bus used for office services (copy machines, fax etc) operated by Digby's of California.

 

 

[Aaronw]

Cross Communications trailer and Yurt used by the Communications Unit.

 

This trailer provides a work area for the radio technicians, providing services from installing portable repeater systems to radio repair. This also provides office space for the Communications Unit Leader who assigns the various radio frequencies and develops the communications plan.

[Aaronw]

Water tenders are a very common piece of contract equipment.

 

Kenworth 6x6 owned by Hertzig a California based roads and paving company.

[Aaronw]

Freightliner water tender operated by Ken Enns, of Porterville, CA.

[Juice]

Wow thanks for the pictures Aaron, I'd love to have a first hand look at this operation. Everything from the trucks, to the camp, it's all very different than anything I'm used to.

[Aaronw]

Yeah, some of the really large camps are practically mini cities. Large camps in remote areas will even get a commissary selling everything from candy and sodas to new boots.

 

I'll have to see if I have any shots of the T-shirt venders. Not really a part of the camp, but a large fire may draw 3 or 4 T-shirt venders selling fire related paraphernalia leading to a weird almost carnival like atmosphere just outside camp.

 

 

 

Contract equipment ranges from regular stuff available from the local area (water tenders and heavy equipment being the most common), low bid equipment from the contractors who are trying to just eek over the minimum requirements to some really nice equipment, and some really clever designs trying to meet multiple contract specs.

 

Here is one from that last group. Operated by Champion out of Montana it meets the specs for both a Type 3 engine and a Type 3 Water Tender.

 

1000 gallon tank, 250 gpm pump, with a rear dump valve and fold-a-tank mounted on the side. Kind of an interesting half cylinder flat topped tank.

[Aaronw]

A large type 6 engine operated by Wood's Fire & Emergency Services of Portola, CA.

 

 

 

 

[Aaronw]

A laundry unit from a large fire camp. Couldn't get a good look at the actual laundry facility but they are generally just a trailer loaded with washers and dryers.

 

 

[Aaronw]

Chain saw supply and repair trailer. This set up was from the Western Chainsaw Co of Eureka, CA

 

Well stocked with parts and supplies and provided with a saw mechanic. In addition to storage there was a nice compact workshop arrangement in the back of the trailer.

 

Just to provide some idea of how much work the saws can receive, the strike team (5) of engines I was with on this fire probably put 60-80 hours on each of their chainsaws over the 14 day assignment (most USFS Type 3 engines carry 2 chain saws). Hand crews can easily put over 100 hours on their saws during a 2 week assignment.

[Aaronw]

Another food unit, don't recall the vender.

 

 

 

 

[Aaronw]

Type 6 engine from American Wildfire of New Mexico. This engine has a large diesel powered pump on the back, you can just make out the radiator from the pump engine on the passenger side rear corner.

[Aaronw]

Type 6 engine from Mt Adams Wildfire of Georgetown, CA

 

 

 

 

[Aaronw]

A pair of converted military 5 tons, I didn't get a chance to get venders name off of these trucks.

 

 

 

 

[radioinstl]

Aaron, great pics! can you look on your original of the Cross Communications COML trailer and blow it up to see what the website is for Cross Communications please.

[Aaronw]

Sure no problem

 

Cross Connections - Mobile Communications

 

1800 57 CROSS

 

www.crossconnections.us

[Reliance]

If you click on the link it comes up www.crosscommunications.us not what you have listed.

[Juice]

Does anyone have any photos (or even know what I'm referring to) in looking for, I think, 2 Blue Kenworths built by S&S years ago, I believe as tankers, for a private contractor? Now comes the part where I may be getting my stories mixed up, there is also 1 or 2 tankers built by them, that apparently the top of the tank opens up, and on the floor of it is a Bullseye for air tankers to drop water in from above.

 

Sound remotely familiar to anyone?

 

Trav!

[Guest]

I think this is the compnay you are talking about Travis.

 

 

 

 

http://www.northtreefire.com/

[Aaronw]

Sorry, it is what I typed, not what pops up. I was tired and typed the wrong thing. Realized my mistake and edited but apparently only the text, not the actual link.

 

www.crossconnections.us is correct.

 

 

Travis, I agree with John, probably North Tree. They run a good organization and top of the line equipment painted blue. They even have a couple of tenders built on a military style Oshkosh 8x8 truck. 

 

As far as the tank opening up, that sounds like a tall tale to me.

[Image7801]

Sorry, it is what I typed, not what pops up. I was tired and typed the wrong thing. Realized my mistake and edited but apparently only the text, not the actual link.

 

www.crossconnections.us is correct.

 

 

Travis, I agree with John, probably North Tree. They run a good organization and top of the line equipment painted blue. They even have a couple of tenders built on a military style Oshkosh 8x8 truck. 

 

As far as the tank opening up, that sounds like a tall tale to me.

Agreed.  What exactly would the point possibly be?  Just dump the water on the fire.