CompactTractorFan
Super Member
Idratherbhuntin, Did you post this same thing on firehouse.com?
TC as a FIRE RESCUE ATV
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Idratherbhuntin
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Yes sir. Looking for opinions from both sides of the fence.
CompactTractorFan
Super Member
OK...seem to recall reading this over there...Good luck! :thumbsup:
yellowdogsvc
Platinum Member
If I recall, my local Bobcat dealer helped upfit two toolcats for use as mini brush trucks.
The concept is not bad. The clearance is a little low at least on my B series. I imagine some modifications and firewall for the fuel tank and some other components would make it safer. I think it is a good idea. Back in the day, we had to use F350's with balloon tires and a 200 gallon tank with a booster reel for a brush truck in the everglades.
I think it's an excellent idea but the cost and fact that you would probably need to tow it to the site makes the idea of a using a heavy duty truck more cost-effective. I guess if the fire was big enough/lasted long enough a toolcat type machine would be a good resource much like the USFS bombardier units were back in the day in the 'glades fires.
The concept is not bad. The clearance is a little low at least on my B series. I imagine some modifications and firewall for the fuel tank and some other components would make it safer. I think it is a good idea. Back in the day, we had to use F350's with balloon tires and a 200 gallon tank with a booster reel for a brush truck in the everglades.
I think it's an excellent idea but the cost and fact that you would probably need to tow it to the site makes the idea of a using a heavy duty truck more cost-effective. I guess if the fire was big enough/lasted long enough a toolcat type machine would be a good resource much like the USFS bombardier units were back in the day in the 'glades fires.
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Idratherbhuntin
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I agree. It is definitely not a 1st out apparatus but still think it would be a good support vehicle. We do several prescribed burns in my area so I have decided to build a small skid unit for the bed using extra parts from some of our trucks we have sold. The next time we burn I will take it out and test it to see if the department would want to follow through on such an investment. By the way I just found out I am not the first to think of this or even build one. there is a guy in south Texas that has been working with bobcat for the last 2 years in their testin facility and has a patten for a firefighting toolcat. He even designed a CAFS system and front monitor so the driver can control the entire thing from inside the cab and never have to get out to squirt water. Check out the monitor nozzle on the headache rack and in one of the pictures you can see the joystick that controls it.
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The ability to scrape a simple fire line, at least in prairie grass conditions would give a ToolCat a unique position in the grass fire situations. A spring-trip snow plow blade may be better than a real dozer blade as it would let the TC drive faster and yet protect the lift arm from the worst of hidden obstacles, rocks, etc. Of course a bucket will work also with an experienced operator.
Simply adding a wetting agent to the water supply nearly triples the fire fighting effectiveness without the cost and complexity of CAFS.
With all the grass fires in north Texas, OK and SE Colorado, I bet folks would like a fleet of these.
Simply adding a wetting agent to the water supply nearly triples the fire fighting effectiveness without the cost and complexity of CAFS.
With all the grass fires in north Texas, OK and SE Colorado, I bet folks would like a fleet of these.
