Wyong Fire Station gets new $400,000 tanker

Published: 29th June 2011

Fire and emergency protection in the Wyong community will be enhanced with Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Commissioner Greg Mullins today announcing the delivery of a new
$400,000 fire tanker to Wyong Fire Station.

"FRNSW continues to provide our fire and rescue officers with modern and safe vehicles for their vital work protecting NSW families," Commissioner Mullins said.

"This new vehicle is part of a FRNSW fleet upgrade which has seen more than 35 new fire engines and specialised vehicles delivered to fire stations across NSW this financial year."

Commissioner Mullins said the specialist vehicle had been designed and built for responding to a range of emergencies including building, bush and grass fires, road accidents and chemical spills, and would complement the station’s main fire engine.

"These new tankers can be configured as a standard tanker or a hazardous materials or rescue unit to improve our fire and rescue officers' capacity to respond to all types of emergencies," he said.

"This multi-purpose, four-wheel-drive tanker enables access to fires in difficult terrain and there is a water protection system operated from the cabin to help ensure the safety of the crew.

"The new tanker can pump 1900 litres of water a minute from its 2700-litre tank and can also operate from hydrants. It is also equipped with special firefighting foam and meets stringent emission standards."

Commissioner Mullins said the Wyong fire and rescue crew did a tremendous job in protecting their community and the new fire tanker would help them to perform their work even more effectively.

"Fleet upgrades such as this ensure our fire and rescue officers have the best equipment and the latest technology to ensure the safety and protection of local communities," Commissioner Mullins said.

Wyong crews responded to almost 450 emergency calls in 2009/10. Fire crews were also actively involved in educating the local community about fire safety, carrying out 75  community safety activities over that year.