Clay County Fire Rescue gives retired ambulances new life as brush trucks
Rather than scrap or sell its outdated ambulances, CCFR is revamping them as brush trucks, designed to fight wildfires in challenging terrain.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.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
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:
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
05-08-2025
- Yahoo
TRAFFIC ALERT: Semi truck on fire in St. Augustine stops traffic on I-95
UPDATE 10:08 a.m.: The left lane is the only one being blocked at the moment. END UPDATE A vehicle fire has shut down all northbound lanes of I-95 in St. Johns County, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The fire was reported at 9:10 a.m. Tuesday. The incident is just south of the St. Augustine area. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< Action News Jax spoke to St. Johns County Fire Rescue and they say it was a mechanical issue that made the truck catch on fire. Drivers are being urged to avoid the area and seek alternate routes as crews work to clear the scene. No injuries were reported. We'll update as more information becomes available. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Solve the daily Crossword
New York Post
26-06-2025
- New York Post
Driver swears by quirky gas station hack to save money when fueling up: ‘This was $30!'
Apparently, slow and steady fuels the wallet. A TikTokker claims that gently pumping gas boosts mileage and saves big bucks — but skeptics say her so-called 'fuel hack' is running on fumes. Alecia (@aleciaa2) swears by her slow-pour strategy in a now-viral video with over 1.3 million views, insisting it nearly doubled her driving range. But not everyone's buying what she's pumping. 'God bless the person that said when you're getting, or like when you're pumping your gas, to put it on the slow setting,' the video creator said in the June 23 video. 'So it doesn't cause those air bubbles.' Mid-clip, she dropped the receipts: a shot of her dash flashing a bold 522-mile range on just $30 of gas. Her car's little red icon sat smugly in the center console. She then gestured to the odometer and asked viewers, 'Do y'all see that? And this was $30. It usually takes me $60 to fill my tank to like 400 miles.' After dropping her gas-pump gospel, Alecia tried to credit the mystery TikTok prophet who changed her life — but drew a blank. 'I don't remember the creator, but God will bless you,' she said. Commenters were fired up, pumping out questions of their own: Could a slow squeeze at the pump really stretch your mileage — or is this just fumes and fairy tales? 'I am genuinely confused. Gas pumps measure fuel by volume using a flow meter. Air or foam does not add any volume. Can someone explain?' one commented. Someone replied to that comment, 'Pumping slowly can help reduce vapor loss and foaming, making your fill-up slightly more efficient and cleaner…' While there were skeptics in the comments section — there were also believers. This is a hack that some people swear by — while others are more skeptical of. – 'Mine added an extra 100 miles when I did it!!' one exclaimed as someone else added, 'also go at night or early morning when the ground is cooler!!' 'Worked for me this week. Usually takes 65-70 to even get to near full. I did it with 50,' one other noted. Another commented, 'I just did this yesterday lol it takes longer to fill, but it's worth it.' Others stressed that the hack isn't effective. 'I work for a fuel company. Trust me. It doesn't work like that but if it makes you feel better sure!' one wrote. An additional user chimed in, 'That has never worked for me I've tire this. This past weekend and got the same amount of gas.' One other weighed in, 'it doesn't work at every pump, but it's worth a try at every pump.' Several commenters pointed out that today's gas pumps aren't dummies — they charge you for the juice you get, not how fast you pump it. Sure, some vapor might vanish later in the tank, but during the fill-up? Not a chance. Mid-clip, she flaunted the 'proof': her dash lit up with a bold 522-mile range on just $30 of gas — while her car's red icon sat smug and self-satisfied. Tiktok/aleciaa2 According to Action News Jax, AAA pumped the brakes on the viral 'slow pour' hack too — backing social media skeptics and reminding drivers that gas tanks sit underground, safe from the hot air (and hot takes) fueling this myth. The AAA rep poured cold gas on the theory, saying vapor loss stems from sitting fuel and sizzling temps — not from your pump speed. As Action News Jax put it: the slow-pour pump hack is pure petrol fiction. As The Post reported last year, a sharp-eyed TikTok tipster dropped some gas station gospel — showing drivers how to sniff out sneaky credit card skimmers before they get swiped. The scam, which bleeds over a billion bucks a year, according to the FBI, was exposed by content creator FLM Flight, who filmed himself yanking on a pump's card reader — the easiest way to spot a sketchy setup. 'POV: You checking the card reader to make sure you don't get scammed,' he captioned the clip, which has already scored over 600,000 views on the app. So, whether you're fueling up or filling in your TikTok feed, remember — some hacks are just running on empty.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Yahoo
Upcoming paving project to affect several roads in downtown St. Augustine
The City of St. Augustine plans to begin a road project this month that will disrupt parking and potentially cause traffic delays. Beginning the week of June 23, a contractor will begin milling, resurfacing, and striping on several streets downtown. The following affected roadways are primarily south of City Hall and in Lincolnville, with one street affected in West City: Artillery Lane: Avilés Street to St. George Street Bravo Lane: Avilés Street to Avenida Menendez Bridge Street: Avenida Menendez to M L King Avenue Desoto Place: Granda Street to M L King Avenue Charlotte Street: Cathedral Place to Treasury Street Cordova Street: St. Francis Street to St. George Street Marine Street: St. Francis Street to Hedrick Street Hedrick Street: Marine Street to the west dead end M L King Avenue: King Street to Bridge Street Sanford Street: Cedar Street to St. Francis Street South Street: Washington Street to Marine Street Tremerton Street: Tremerton Place to South Street Madeore Street: Sidney Street west to the city limit [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Work will be suspended before and during the weekend of July 4 to accommodate holiday traffic, before resuming on Monday, July 7. The affected streets will remain open during construction, but the city anticipates traffic delays. On-street parking will be banned from 7 am to 4 pm, Monday through Friday, for the duration of the project. Any car parked on the street and obstructing work may be towed. View the Pavement Management and Planning Interactive Dashboard here, which maps out current paving projects. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
