If your agency operates in a flood prone area and doesn’t have purpose-built flood rescue vehicles, Acela Truck Company now offers a new solution.

The frequency of river and coastal flooding events, the leading cause of disaster or weather-related deaths in the United States, is increasing dramatically.  2017’s Hurricane Harvey was Houston’s third “500 year” flooding event in only the last few years, yet flood waters continue to stop most first responders in their tracks due to lack of proper equipment to adequately provide assistance and safely protect responders.

To address these growing challenges, Acela Truck Company, manufacturer of extreme-duty, commercial truck chassis, recently introduced specialized high-water rescue and response trucks to its line of Monterra 4x4 and 6x6 high-mobility truck chassis.  With 47-inch tires, 23 inches of ground clearance, an all-wheel-drive drivetrain, waterproof alternator and starter and proprietary fording kit, Acela’s specialized flood rescue variants are capable of fording a whopping 50 inches of water while safely carrying up to 20 seated passengers (including driver) with ample room and payload for pets, personal property or rescue gear.  Monterras are additionally capable of safely responding at top highway speeds of 74 MPH making them perfectly suitable for long-distance response.

Acela’s flood rescue truck products were inspired by company president, David Ronsen, a retired firefighter who spent many years as a field-deployed FEMA operations attaché, responding to dozens of catastrophic flooding events.  “I know first-hand how frustrating it is for local fire, law enforcement, EMS, EMA and Search and Rescue agencies to be faced with the challenges of having to rescue thousands of their customers without proper flood rescue equipment”, says Ronsen, “Acela’s product design team committed to designing an incredibly capable new tool for first responders to reliably and safely impact hundreds of people a day…the result is a true game changer.”

The Acela Monterra line of trucks were originally designed for U.S. Army use and are considered to be the most capable wheeled vehicles available in North America. In addition to flood rescue operations, Monterra flood rescue trucks can be used for virtually any disaster response such as tornados and earthquakes, easily traveling over or through large debris, or double as superb brush/wildland fire engines, Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) support vehicles, cargo haulers and SAR/SWAT team troop carriers, in rural and urban environments.  Monterras come standard with a bumper to bumper parts and labor warranty.  Popular options include warning and scene lighting packages, rescue boat transport capabilities, rain tarps, crew intercom systems and even drone technology to name a few.

Acela’s flood rescue vehicle retail pricing starts at $99,000 for 4x4 flood rescue trucks and are available with agency discounts from Acela directly and through select fire apparatus dealers.

 

SCOTTSVILLE, TX—Harrison County (TX) ESD #3 Fire Rescue converted a 2001 Stewart Stevenson five-ton military truck into a service-ready machine. The military vehicle will be used as a multipurpose large brush truck in wildland firefighting and high water rescues.

“This large brush truck will be used as a dual-purpose vehicle,” said Harrison County ESD #3 Fire Rescue chief John Pritchard. “It will be a benefit as a large brush truck because of its tough, six-wheel-drive and being capable of carrying 500 gallons of water with ease. For the past couple of years, our service area has had flooding issues. When we were converting the truck, we had the water tank situated on the back so firefighters or individuals who are being rescued have a safe place while being transferred to a more secure area.”

The excess military vehicle was awarded through the Department of Defense Firefighter Property Program (DOD FFP). The department also accepted a $15,500 grant from the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program to purchase the slip-on unit with a 500-gallon tank. This program currently provides funding to rural volunteer fire departments for the acquisition of slip-on units for military vehicles, helping in their conversion into a firefighting apparatus. Both programs are administered by Texas A&M Forest Service.

The slip-on unit is a self-contained apparatus used as an initial-attack unit to fight wildland fires. The unit containing the poly tank and pressure pump are easily mounted on the back of a pick-up or custom built bed.

The Harrison County ESD #3 Fire Rescue has been providing fire service to its community since 1982. The converted truck gives it greater capacity to continue to protect life and property. “Our volunteers are very service oriented,” said Pritchard. “They serve their community without reservation.”

Texas A&M Forest Service is committed to protecting lives and property through various fire department assistance programs. The Department of Defense Firefighter Property Program launched in Texas in 2005, is one such program and has released over 600 retired military trucks to Volunteer Fire Departments across the state. The Agency transports the vehicle from a military installation, performs necessary repairs and delivers it to the volunteer fire department at no cost to them. The USDA Forest Service oversees the program nationwide and is the supplier of the excess military equipment to fire departments and emergency service providers.

For more information on programs offered by Texas A&M Forest Service, please visit http://texasfd.com.

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