The New South Wales Government will be rolling out 18 new Isuzu Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) tanker trucks ahead of peak danger season this year.
Each $530,000 multi-purpose four-wheel-drive truck features a water spray system to protect the crew, a compress air foam system and a 3,500-litre water tank.
Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery, Steph Cooke, said the NSW Government is funding a further $9 million in this year’s Budget to replace FRNSW’s 22-year-old fleet of bush fire tankers, in response to the independent Bushfire Inquiry.
“The trucks have been locally assembled by Isuzu and are currently being fitted out with equipment before being deployed to some of the State’s most at-risk locations,” she said.
“They will enable our firefighters to access bush fires in difficult terrain as well as be used for building fires, rescues and other emergency incidents.”
FRNSW Acting Commissioner, Megan Stiffler, said the new appliances will help firefighters where they are needed most.
“We welcome these new trucks as they will provide our firefighters with the best possible equipment and technology to protect life and property,” she said.
“The fleet of modern, advanced and environmentally-friendly appliances will also ensure our firefighters are safe while undertaking their vital role in the community.”
A total of $80 million has been provided to FRNSW in response to the Bushfire Inquiry’s 76 recommendations.