| The Oshkosh Striker has triple agent firefighting capabilities |
Oshkosh Airport Products Group, a division of Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK), has placed an Oshkosh Striker ARFF vehicle into service at Canyonlands Field, serving Moab, Utah and the surrounding region.
The Striker will help support the growth for this gateway airport that serves southeastern Utah, and is located close to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, and the Colorado River.
“Our Striker is the first building block – and foundation, really – in our move from a B2 to a C2 airport,” says Kelly Braun, Canyonlands Field airport manager. “Our previous ARFF vehicle was a donated fire truck with a 500-gallon water tank, and it was not nearly adequate for the amount of protection the FAA wanted us to have.”
Canyonlands Field has experienced a 35 percent increase in traffic over the last four years. “We have commercial airline traffic, with four operations per day. We also have two on-demand air charters that offer scenic tours of the Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. Another area of growth,” Braun continues, “is helicopter traffic, which we see a lot of with the Hollywood film industry that likes to feature the region in its productions.”
The airport received an FAA grant to purchase a new ARFF truck, and, through a comprehensive bid process, selected the Striker. The Striker 1500 model includes a 4 x 4 axle configuration along with proprietary technologies including TAK-4® independent suspension, triple agent firefighting capabilities and Command Zone™ advanced electronics for enhanced maneuverability, firefighting power and reliability. Other features include a 1500-gallon water capacity; a 210-gallon foam tank, 500 lb capacity dry chemical tank; high volume, low attack bumper and roof turrets with Hydrochem nozzles; pre-connected water and foam hoses; and a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) camera system.
After the vehicle was delivered to Canyonlands Field, a team from Oshkosh provided comprehensive training for both operators and maintenance teams. Braun summarised, “We put the Striker 1500 into service the day our training was completed – and we couldn’t be happier!”
Photo caption: This Oshkosh Striker 1500 is on duty at the Canyonlands Field in southeast Utah.