Behind schedule but on budget, the new attack trucks have finally arrived. One will be stationed on the mountain, the other in the valley.
Let me warn you, they’re massive. The step height is 28-inches.
There are now six pieces of equipment at Wintergreen tasked with fire fighting:
2 Attack Trucks
2 Pumpers
1 Tanker Truck
1 Ladder Truck
The cost ranges from nearly $200,000 to just over a million dollars. Their useful life ranges from 20-25 years.
Essentially they’re civilian pick-ups on a military suspension. We can now carry 33% more water and the 40-hp Kubtota pump is 50% more capable than our previous unit. Most importantly, remote controlled nozzles allow for single operators, which cuts our required workforce in half.
There is no trailer hitch or any low-hanging component that might inhibit our ability to navigate ski slopes during the summer, roads through the back country, power lines, etc.
Severe weather events aren’t so uncommon anymore. These trucks should navigate deep snow easily. They will also be useful in high water. There is a front winch with a 16,500-lb capacity to help move downed trees. Should we get stuck in a snow drift and need to self-rescue, there’s a second winch on the rear.
We opted for the “California-Standard” warning light package. Many of you will appreciate that flash pattern intensity and brightness will be reduced at night to minimize blinding motorists. This is done automatically by sensors.
Don’t call it a Brush Truck
If you throw in the cost of the on-board equipment, this was a $400,000 project. Of that, $310,000 came from your tax-dollars paid to Nelson County and the remaining $90,000 comes from donations to our fund drive.