Rough terrain, large water volume, track driven firefighting apparatus and method

摘要

This invention discloses a firefighting track driven apparatus for use in rugged terrain. A crawler track driven tractor vehicle pushes a front platform vehicle and pulls a rear platform vehicle. The front platform vehicle travels on steerable crawler tracks, and is equipped with communication device, directionally controlled lamp system and a water cannon for spraying a fire extinguishing substance. The water cannon is mounted on a telescoping and rotating boom, and has a swiveling nozzle, for accurately aiming the fire extinguishing substance to burning material in difficult places such as treetops. The front platform vehicle has a cab which protects an operator, who operates the boom and cannon and steers the tracks. A reeled firehose arrangement feeds the cannon, and may be lengthened with extension sections to accommodate the telescoping boom. The front platform vehicle is equipped with several tanks for carrying the fire extinguishing substance, to enable the firefighting apparatus to fight fires too remote from water sources for conventional firefighting equipment. The rear platform vehicle carrier reserve tanks of fire extinguishing substance, and a reserve firehose for connection with the cannon.