A firefighting pilot turned inventor will help the bushfire fight in the coming season with an innovative system that can turn every tractor into a fire engine instantly
Nick Davis is a pilot who has fought blazes across the globe and his experience has led him to a position where he will help with bushfire fights here in the upcoming hot season.
Even with our reputation as the most fire-prone country on Earth, Nick Davis with his innovative Arcus Fire system that can turn every tractor into a fire engine instantly, reckons he can save the day.
Arcus Fire’s FireTrac system is aiming to save countless lives, property and wildlife by equipping Australia’s army of farmers with the tools and training they need to help in the early stages of a bushfire starting on or near their land.
We already face 60,000 bushfires a year and experts predict the problem will only get worse with global warming, so any method that will aid in a bushfire fight is most welcome.
It is claimed the Arcus Fire FireTrac system can turn any tractor into an instant high-capacity pump-and-roll fire engine.
The system arsenal includes a 3,000-litre (800 gallon) tank that attaches to the tractor, along with a high-powered pump and firefighting hose. FireTrac is armed to be a first responder as it gives farmers the means to get into position quickly and help in the initial fire outbreak.
Being able to respond quickly and support fire services at the start of a bushfire, has the potential to quell the initial outbreak and even prevent a full-blown disaster from occurring.
Because the FireTrac system is fitted to an all-terrain tractor, this unit has the ability to be on location long before a fire engine can reach the scene.
As the FireTrac system tractor, or fleet of tractors can cross any terrain quickly, it is also a far-more cost-effective solution than buying new fire engines or fire-fighting planes.
FireTrac has been a long-term development for CEO of Arcus Fire, Nick Davis, a pilot and entrepreneur who has been involved combatting wildfires in Australia, the USA and Africa for more than 20 years.
Nick went on to say, “I’ve seen the devastation bushfires can cause first-hand. One constant throughout all of the countries I’ve worked in, is that farmers are almost always first on the scene.
“They know the land and they have the tractors that could be a force multiplier for the fire service that only have a limited amount of equipment and people on the frontline of the bushfire.
“I set out to develop a cost-effective system that would enable farmers to provide a rapid response to a bushfire in the initial attack and support local emergency services as soon as they arrive,” Nick added.
Nick hopes farmers, ranchers, local authorities and forestry organisations will be able to station the FireTrac at key locations so tractors can be quickly deployed to help fight bushfires.
Nick said he will also be providing training to ensure any users can stay safe when helping to tackle a blaze.
FireTrac system inclusions
- Heavy duty frame with lockers and pump stowage
- Tractor attachment head stock for Cat II, III and IIII three-point linkage
- Heavy duty 360-deg swivel balance bogey wheel for stability
- 540rpm PTO self-priming water pump running at 180-litres (48-gal) 365 PSI or 180-lites/min, 25 BAR
- 10-metre hose for walk-along or 5-metre for in-cab firefighting
- Delta Fire Series 100 Pro Firefighting Branch
For more information on the Arcus Fire FireTrac system, go to this link.
