South Metro Fire Rescue and Centennial Airport Upgrade Fleet with Two Oshkosh Striker® 4×4 ARFF Vehicles
Oshkosh Airport Products, a division of Pierce Manufacturing Inc., a subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK), announces South Metro Fire Rescue and Centennial Airport in Colorado have bolstered aircraft emergency response capabilities with the addition of two Oshkosh Striker® 4×4 ARFF vehicles. Sold through Front Range Fire Apparatus, the fleet upgrade marks a partnership where South Metro Fire Rescue and Centennial Airport jointly financed the new trucks. Dubbed “Red 1” and “Red 2” and nicknamed Shrek and Fiona, these state-of-the-art vehicles are painted a striking green hue, a color recommended but not mandatory by the FAA – in preparation for any future regulatory adjustments.
Scott Richardson, division chief at South Metro Fire Rescue, said:This fleet upgrade represents more than just advanced resources for our team. They also symbolize our unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest level of safety at the airport and the surrounding community.
Features of the new Striker 4×4 ARFF vehicles include:
- Scania V8 670 hp Tier 4F engine
- Water capacity: 1,500 gallons (5,678 liters)
- Foam capacity: 210 gallons (794 liters)
- Dry chemical capacity: 500 pounds (226 kg)
- Oshkosh TAK-4® independent suspension
- FLIR camera for enhanced visibility with 360-degree imaging
- Bumper and roof turret for advanced operations
- Battery-powered extrication tools, fans, and saws – eliminating the need for a gasoline generator
Chief Richardson added:The cutting-edge features on these ARFF vehicles allow for a more efficient and effective way of doing things with one of the best updates including an infrared thermal imaging camera. This allows for 360-degree imaging visibility which is almost like night vision. Additionally, we are using lithium-ion batteries for all of our equipment, so we don’t have to use gasoline generators around an aircraft or potential aircraft fire.
Red 1 will be based at South Metro Fire Rescue’s Station 35, and Red 2 will be based at Station 44. South Metro’s ARFF team is a unique crew of firefighters who manage both municipal response within the community served and aircraft emergencies when they occur at or near Centennial Airport. Located in Arapahoe County in Colorado, Centennial Airport is one of the busiest general aviation airports in the country, with over 300,000 civil and military aircraft operations per year.
Duane Doucette, president and owner of Front Range Fire Apparatus, said:We appreciate the trust South Metro Fire Rescue and Centennial Airport has placed in our team, and we are confident the new ARFF apparatus will help amplify their crew’s emergency response capabilities.
We value this partnership and remain steadfast in our commitment to providing the highest level of service for these advanced Striker 4x4 vehicles and training for the operators. Our ultimate goal is to ensure the safety and efficiency of emergency response, and we are honored to play a part in South Metro’s operations.
This article was originally published by Oshkosh.
