FIRE and Rescue NSW Nowra brigade has taken delivery of a $465,000 firefighting tanker.
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South Coast MP Shelley Hancock and Batemans Bay Zone Commander, Superintendent David Lewis presented the tanker to Nowra captain John Dun and brigade members on Friday.
The new tanker is the latest in firefighting technology featuring the Compressed Air Foam System (CAFS), replacing one of the station’s existing tankers purchased in 1997.
Superintendent Lewis said the tanker was packed with new technology that would ensure firefighters and communities were well protected.
“Over the last few years Fire and Rescue NSW has invested a lot of time and money into ensuring our firefighters are safe,” he said.
“This tanker, here at Nowra 405, is proof of that investment.”
Nowra Captain John Dun was delighted with the new piece of equipment, which the station took delivery of two weeks ago.
“It is a specialist piece of equipment and we are one of the first to have such a tanker in NSW,” he said.
“We have been undertaking training on the machine and it has some exciting capabilities, which allows a brand new scope we can action for bushfires as well as structure fires.”
He said the CAFS (Compressed Air Foam System) was an exciting new innovation.
“The tanker is based on a basic water tanker but with CAFS it gives us the capability of using both water and foam solutions and economically,” he said.
“We combine both with the compressed air capability and use very little water or foam.”
The tanker also has the latest in cabin protection systems for the fire crew.
“All new cabins are rolled out with cabin protections systems which can be used in the extreme case of emergency if the staff and vehicle are trapped in a fire situation,” Captain Dun said.
“Systems have been built in, including special fire blankets with velcro which secure on each window to keep staff inside insulated from outside conditions and a halo hose system which runs around entire cabin which can be activated to drench the outside with water.
“That system runs off a water tank, which can be remotely activated from inside, even if there is no fuel in the vehicle. It runs on an electric pump and once switched on, covers the cab in water.”
South Coast MP Shelley Hancock said she was excited by the new tanker.
“This is a fantastic piece of new equipment for Nowra – it’s state of the art,” she said.
“In just one year in Nowra we had 600 fire and rescue incidents.
“We thank you [the firies] for the courageous work you do.
“It is not a job many people can do, would do, or elect to do, but you do and you protect us from structural fires in Nowra and beyond and during bushfire events as well.
“We appreciate what you do.”
Duty Commander Monaro, Inspector Luke Unsworth said having the new appliance located centrally in Nowra allowed it to be deployed throughout the region.
“This tanker has the capability to be deployed up to the lower Illawarra, down to the bottom of the Shoalhaven, wherever it is required,” he said.
“With its capabilities it has many abilities to be able to protect communities throughout the region.
“While based in Nowra, servicing this area, it can also be deployed to wherever it may be needed.”