| The aerial view of one of the most harsh terrains, the Conocophillips site in Kuparuk, Alaska |
The unit features proprietary TAK-4 independent front suspension and an airbag rear suspension for enhanced vehicle control and ride quality on the rugged roads.
Pierce Manufacturing, an Oshkosh Corporation company, has received an order from ConocoPhillips Alaska for an industrial aerial platform vehicle built on an Arrow XT chassis. In May 2011, the firefighting vehicle will be placed into service at the company's facilities located on Alaska's North Slope, at the site of one of North America's largest oil fields near the head of the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline.
"We're proud that ConocoPhillips Alaska selected a Pierce fire apparatus to help protect the people and facilities at such an important site," said Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president, Fire & Emergency. "The rugged terrain, extreme cold and high winds found on the North Slope are not for the faint of heart and this purchase is a testament to our vehicle's ability to perform in the most demanding conditions on earth."
"Weather extremes can mean wind chill ratings down to minus 80 degrees. We have large amounts of oil and gas being produced inside enclosed modules, and the possibility for a leak to cause a catastrophic explosion is something we have to contend with every time we have a facility incident," said ConocoPhillips Fire Chief Boyd Follet. "The Pierce aerial platform, with its ability to produce 2000 GPM flows, will give us capabilities to put into operation master streams where we couldn't have placed anything previously. Additionally, it will give us a stable rescue platform for rescue situations at elevations that we did not previously have."
The apparatus is outfitted with a special cold weather package, including twin 33,000 BTU hot water heaters, synthetic oil, radiator coolant protection to -61 degrees F, and additional insulation inside the pumphouse. The unit features proprietary TAK-4 independent front suspension and an airbag rear suspension for enhanced vehicle control and ride quality on the rugged roads that crisscross the facilities and the outlying territory. The vehicle is equipped with a 500 hp engine and Command Zone™ advanced electronics for reliability and easier troubleshooting. Other chassis features include seating for six firefighters and frontal air bag protection.
The firefighting systems include a 2,000-gpm pump, Husky 160 industrial foam system, 700 gallon foam cell and twin monitors located at the platform. The aerial platform features wireless remote controls, Lyfe brackets to carry rescue accessories, breathing air to the tip, and blue LED lighting running the length of the device. Named for the Kuparuk River, the Kuparuk oil field is the second largest oil field in North America. It produces approximately 230,000 barrels of oil per day and is estimated to have two billion barrels of recoverable reserves.