The Osage Nation Wildland Fire Management Department now has a new custom-built truck added to its fleet for responding to emergency service calls.
According to a news release, the department received the new ultra-high pressure truck, purchased with federal funding, in July. Custom built by a team of Ultra-High Pressure (UHP) experts, the high-powered truck is a Ford F-550 6.7L Diesel, Extended Cab complete and custom built with custom boxes, has been lifted and has a set of super singles from Design-Build-Lease (DBL) Design.
Ross Walker, Fire Management Officer, wrote and submitted a Reserved Treaty Rights Land plan proposal (RTRL) and a Fuels Management proposal for the Osage Nation Ranch and used the federal funding to purchase the fire truck.
“Having this new Wildland fire engine will allow us to cover more acreage and staff additional personnel, giving us the capabilities to cover more area and respond to more wildfires when we have multiple new wildfire starts during our fire season at the same time,” Walker said in a statement. “This engine will also be used during prescribed burns our department implements. I’ve very excited to use it.”
The truck’s custom features include a UHP unit from Pyro-HMA. HMA Fire, LLC is a national leader in providing superior technology advancements such as the UHP unit acquired by ONWF.
Walker was able to conduct a hands-on demonstration prior to committing to the selection of the UHP unit, the release said. “I am very glad I did. It is one of the best Type 6 Wildland Fire Trucks I have personally seen built and used. The ONWF Department previously had only two Type 6 fire trucks, one was tribally owned and the other was federally owned and provided to us through the Eastern Oklahoma Regional office. Both trucks are 2015 models and are getting aged and worn each year.”
According to its website, the Nation’s Wildland Fire Management Department is responsible for approximately 200,000 acres of trust/restricted lands scattered in a checkerboard formation inside 1,470,559 acres that make up Osage County/Osage Reservation.