Clay County Fire Rescue gives retired ambulances new life as brush trucks
Retired ambulances are getting a new purpose thanks to the efforts of members of Clay County Fire Rescue.
Rather than scrap or sell its outdated ambulances, CCFR is revamping them as brush trucks, designed to fight wildfires in challenging terrain.
Some of their recent brush trucks were surplus from other agencies, with several being 30 or more years old. Instead of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy new ones, some of CCFR's members decided to get creative.
'The idea for using the retired ambulances for brush trucks was, we were trying to figure out what is the best option for the county in cost and for things that we already had,' said Lieutenant Jack Miller.
Mechanic Mitch Perry said he researched how to create trucks to best match his firefighters' needs, and ended up making some even more convenient than the ones they had before.
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One truck features a joystick that allows the driver to spray water out of a spout in the front with just a hand. That means it only needs a single operator.
'It's not just a brush truck,' said Lt. Miller. 'Patients that you have to go get that aren't on a paved road, that the ambulance and the fire truck can't get to -- this truck can get to.'
By converting the trucks, officials say they're saving anywhere from $150,000 to $350,000.
CCFR says it's completed three conversions so far, with a fourth one on the way.
Watch the video showcasing the new trucks:
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