By Ethan Benedicto
A new tanker is set to hit the streets as the Narre Warren North CFA branch celebrated its handover on Tuesday 12 March.
Tamara Bush, a firefighter from the Narre Warren North branch said that she, including her fellow firies, were “absolutely ecstatic” at the new tanker’s arrival.
“It’s something that is great for the brigade’s morale, it’s brought us closer in a way, through training for it and in a social sense as well,” she said.
With the previous truck being 23 years old, the new vehicle’s capabilities were something everyone in the brigade was in awe of.
As for the branch’s old truck, it was decommissioned from Narre Warren North and was given to the French Island CFA, whose truck Ms Bush recalled had an additional 20 years to its age.
“Our truck’s served us extremely well and it’s been to many local fires and some intestate fires.
“CFA trucks can go all over the state, and I know it’s been up to the northeast so it’s been to a lot of places,” she said.
Initial striking features of the new tanker include a dual cabin, which meant that all firefighters would be inside the vehicle instead of having two others in the back.
Robert Powell, the brigade’s first lieutenant, said that the truck is “the latest technology and it’s the most powerful tanker they’ve ever built”.
“It’s all-wheel-drive and a four-wheel-drive and from what I’ve just found out, this tanker will go into places that our old four-wheel-drive physically can’t do.
“Its capabilities are just phenomenal, yes it’s bigger, it’s got 4000 litres of water and it can really, really get in there and make a difference,” he said.
The previous tanker could only hold up to 3000 litres, and while that’s already a large amount, the extra thousand, Mr Powell said, could be the difference maker.
“It increases the effectiveness of what we do; we have the power to pump more and more water.
“We can also run what they call a mothership, so we can fill eight ultra-light tankers which hold 500 litres of water.
“We can also fill up two of the type of tankers that Hallam has, or we could fill up two of Narre Warren’s tankers and two ultra-lights before we go out and get more water,” he said.
While its main focus is on rural incidents, the new tanker can serve as an effective support vehicle to pumpers for urban-based emergencies.
Its firefighting capabilities are also an upgrade compared to the branch’s previous tanker, carrying breathing apparatus so firies can enter buildings.
“In addition to the amount go water it carries, it’s got a big pumping capacity on it, which is driven by a four-cylinder Isuzu engine, meaning it can pump a lot of water.
“It also has a monitor in the cabin which our firefighters can use, and all these features will allow all the neighbouring trucks more time to come give us a hand.
“In the case if we were to go down to Clyde, we could pump water directly to other trucks’ pumpers, supplying them since we carry an extra thousand litres compared to their trucks, to gives them more time,” Mr Powell said.
The Narre Warren North branch also underwent three months’ worth of training that began in late 2023 before they could use the vehicle.
In addition to that, new methods of maintenance and care have also been considered with additional procedures in place.
“Things are different on it, it’s a hell of a lot more powerful,” Mr Powell said.
While both Ms Bush and Mr Powell will miss their old truck, they are more than grateful for the new addition, while it improves morale, it serves as a major boost to safety as well.
Ms Bush is excited for Narre Warren and its surrounds to see their new truck in action, saying that “it would be good for the community to see it out and about as well”.
As for Mr Powell, he said that “while the old girl was good in its time, this is a lot more powerful and safer to drive, use and operate – this is the future”.
