Vehicle mounted fire fighting system

Abstract

A Fire Fighting System includes a vehicle with a plurality of mounted motors, a fire shield system, an emergency fire retardant discharge system, and a modular instrumentation assembly. The motors are equipped with a plurality of swinging cutting elements and severe duty fire whips. The fire shield system may include a series of flame and heat retardant coverings placed on all exposed parts of the system to prevent damage from exposure to extreme heat. The emergency fire retardant discharge system distributes chemical fire retardant in the event the fire comes too close to the system. The modular instrumentation system includes a series of video, radar, and infrared sensors which provide information of the fire environment to the operator of the system. In operation, the vehicle operator positions the system at the edge of a fire line and energizes the motors causing the cutting blade assembly and fire whips to begin rotating. Once they are rotating at full speed, the vehicle is advanced along the fire line with the cutting elements cutting and slashing the burning vegetation. Once cut, the burning vegetation is thrown aside by the severe-duty fire whips that rotate to throw the debris back towards the fire. Further, post-combustion air is blown at the burning debris to assist in extinguishing the fire and direct the debris out of the path of the system. Thus, as the Fire Fighting System advances along the fire line, a fire break is created which is devoid of any combustible material.