The compact skid unit for operations with water lines in remote areas
Firefighting units often find themselves in areas where trucks and pickups can’t reach, and there is no access to water, making the extinguishing operations even harder and more challenging.
In those inaccessible areas by water tenders, a very common tactic is the use of what firefighters call “pumpkins” (large flexible water reservoirs). These manœuvres are usually performed by ground squads carrying the mentioned tanks while the helicopter units fill them by gravity from buckets. It is a necessary move yet very risky.
To ensure water wherever and whenever needed in an efficient and safe way, Vallfirest has developed the Heliskid, a compact and versatile extinguishing unit specially made for light vehicles designed for easier direct attack operations with a water line in hard to reach areas.
Because of their speed and flexibility, pick up vehicles offer immense wildland firefighting possibilities. The disadvantage with respect to larger trucks is, above all the load capacity limitations as these types of variable load vehicles can only carry 450-600 litres (depending on the tank) with a traditional extinguishing kit.
With the small size and low weight of the Heliskid, these types of light vehicles can be equipped with high-performing water capacity and motor pump features as a kit and can be deployed with 3,000 litres and a high-performing motor pump. The tank is unique in that it can be supplied using aerial resources, thereby considerably reducing the time needed by standard trucks which use other trucks to load their water tanks.
Furthermore, the Heliskid is surprisingly quick and easy to assemble: it takes less than 5 minutes to have a completely operational system. Its tank can be supplied using aerial resources due to its optimized loading time. Thereby considerably reducing the time needed by standard trucks which use other trucks to load their water tanks. It has 4 hoisting points to be filled and pressure-feed the water from the tank through the motor pump and hoses, giving it a flexible deployment.
Heliskid gives us the power to enter into the next level of efficiency making perfectly safe the manoeuvers of dropping water in hard to reach areas. The wildland firefighting world has welcomed a new tool that guarantees not only water access but pressurised water as well, in strategic points for extinguishing work. An innovative solution for wildland firefighting.
For more information please visit: www.vallfirest.com
