WILDFIRE UNITS

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service inherited 12 Wildfire Units from 4 of the antecedent brigades.

There are three Wildfire units in the West Service Delivery Area located at Kilwinning, Lanark and Oban which will assist crews in dealing with large grass, heathland or forest fires. Crews have been trained at a Secondary Station and if the Primary Station is committed at an Incident then the Secondary Station will crew the unit. Each unit consists of a Land Rover Defender and a trailer which carries the following equipment :-
1 High Pressure Fogging Unit
2 Lightweight pumps (Banana Pumps)
2 lengths suction hose
2 Petrol cans
2 Diffuser branches
2 Hose reel branches
2 Hose reel adaptors
1 Controlled dividing breeching
10 lengths domestic hose
2 collapsible knapsacks with pump action spray
1 500 litre collapsible water dam
5 Extendable lightweight beaters
The Fire Fogging Unit produces high pressure water in the form of a fine mist through a lightweight 60m hose to a specially designed fogging lance. The Fogging Unit gets its water from a 200 litre tank which can be removed from the trailer and taken to the incident if required.
The units are not on any PDAs and have to be requested by the Incident Commander.

This is how we SFRS equipped to deal with wildfires
We use a tiered response to ensure that wildfires are dealt with quickly and efficiently. This includes using the latest technology and techniques to safely bring the incident to a conclusion. Our approach uses 4 Tiers.

Tier 1 Stations: General first responder firefighting, hose, beaters, water back packs

Tier 2 Stations: Sprinter vans with wildfire suppression and management equipment. This includes leaf blowers, excavation tools, beaters and lighting

Tier 3 Stations: Ford Ranger with Polaris ATV with fogging lance unit on trailer.  

Teir 4: Wildfire Tactical Advisors

What we do at wildfires
The approach that is taken by the Incident Commander will consider many different factors. This includes weather, location, life and property, critical infrastructure, and the terrain.
Our primary concern will always be life safety. This takes precedence over all factors of the approach taken.
Where there is support offered by non-fire service personnel, we will aim to incorporate that support into our plans in a safe and managed way. We will always do so in a way that doesn't compromise anyone's safety.
Community Asset Register
Want to make a difference and contribute to your community when emergencies, such as wildfires, strike?
Join the Community Asset Register. It's a Scotland wide database of volunteers willing to help during an emergency. Our Community Asset Register page contains information for you to register and help contribute to the safety of your local community.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has purchased 10 new Wildfire Units consisting of a 4x4 Ford Ranger with bodywork by Angloco towing a Brian James Trailer carrying a Polaris All Terrain Vehicle with bodywork by Angloco.

The new Wildfire Units of which there are ten consist of a Ford Ranger which tows a Polaris ATV on a Brian James Trailer.
In the rear of the Ranger on the top sliding shelf there is a hot water wash bowl, soap, sanitisers and paper towels. Alongside this is a Leaf Blower, Peli Light with tripod, hard suction for the ATV, bottles of water and a Powder extinguisher. One of the two lower sliding trays contain two shovels, two scrubbers, two Weed Wands for backburning, strap and hawser for self extrication of the ATV should it get stuck. The other tray has a first aid kit, two hand torches, two head torches and gas canisters for the Weed Wands. In the rear of the cab are two life jackets to be worn when lifting from open water, pocket radios and Ordnance Survey Maps. In the front there is a main scheme radio and no MDT.
The ATV has a 200 litre water tank. There is also a small foam tank but at present this is not being used. The pump has a 30 metre high pressure hose reel and a 30 metre length of hose which can be attached to the hose reel to extend it to 60 metre or it can be used independently to provide a jet/spray on either side simultaneously. There are two spikes which can be attached to the hose reel branches to produce a fine spray and if water is on it could be pushed into the ground at peat fires. There is an instantaneous coupling on the rear to fill the tank from a pump, max 2 bars and one on the side to fill from a hydrant, max 5 bars. Also on the rear there is a Stortz coupling for the hard suction when lifting from open water.
There must be two fully trained operators, one driving and the other walking in front of the ATV checking for holes or ditches. When called out to wildfire in the station area two trained operators go in the Wildfire Unit along with a support pump. If the fire is outside the station area three crew go with the Wildfire Unit.
Unlike previous ATVs which were used to convey personnel and equipment to the scene of the fires these ATVs are a firefighting vehicle to tackle the fire and cannot be used to transport personnel or equipment to the scene of the fire, basically as there is only room for the two trained operators.

Photos of Wildfire Units

MAIN INDEX                        SCOTTISH FIRE and RESCUE SERVICE