The rapidly growing population in Florida's "wildland/urban interface" areas requires a quick response with the right kind of equipment.
Airboats
Airboats are typically used in areas that are wet and the primary fuel type is either marsh grass or saw grass. The airboat skims across the top of the water and pushes the grasses underwater creating fire breaks.
Bombardier
The Bombardier is a specialized low ground pressure track vehicle used for wildfire protection with water and foam pumping capabilities. The vehicle is used in very wet, boggy terrain. This vehicle is capable of operating in areas that are inaccessible to standard wildfire suppression equipment.
Rollagon
The Rollagon has four large tires that provide floatation so that it can cross canals and float in swamps. The vehicle is used primarily in the Everglades region of Florida to create fire breaks by mashing the grass down into either standing water or into the muck which allows water to rise up and create a wet line.
Soft Track
The Soft Track is also a specialized low ground pressure track vehicle similar to a bombardier and is used in swamps and marsh. The vehicle has water and foam pumping capabilities and can operate in areas that are inaccessible to standard wildfire suppression equipment.
All Terrain Vehicles
(ATVs) are 4x4 and 4x6 low ground-pressure vehicles used to start controlled burns, back fires on incidents.
Mobile Command Posts
Command Posts are essential for control on large incidents. They provide work space for an Incident Management team to manage an incident. Each of the command posts has space for meetings, computer work stations and radio communications. The type 1 is larger and therefore has more room for these various functions.
Type 1 Command Post
Type 2 Command Post
Portable Communications Tower
The Portable Communications Tower allows us to establish a radio repeater in remote areas or areas where standard radio communications have been damaged.
