One State’s Fight Against Wildfires

Wildfires are dangerous, unpredictable and possess the ability to burn the length of a football field within a single minute. And South Carolina is no stranger to the ever-present threat of wildfire. With just under 1,500 fires this year, resulting in over 6,600 acres of damaged and ruined property, the need for resilient fire fighting equipment shows no sign of slowing down.

Wildfire dangers are especially present in the winter months. South Carolina’s peak forest fire season ranges from January through Mid-April, where most of the state’s vegetation is dead or dormant. To help combat damage by wildfires, SC Forestry firefighters are on-call from their homes in 160 different locations throughout the state.

But even with extensive fire training, when a wildfire strikes, the need for qualified equipment that works under extreme fire conditions is a necessity. Through the SC Forestry Commission’s partnership with Blanchard Machinery, the latest addition to this fleet of firefighting equipment is the Cat D4K2 dozer, which provides South Carolina’s frontline firefighters with the latest in fire safety technology.

On February 9th, 2016, eighteen of these new dozers were delivered to the SC Forestry Commission. In turn, they were sent out to eighteen different locations throughout the state of South Carolina, adding to the 36 dozers already provided by the SC Caterpillar dealer, Blanchard Machinery. These 18 dozers represent the fourth set of machines purchased from Blanchard to aid in the fight against wildfires.

When asked about the impact of the dozers, Darryl Jones, the South Carolina Forest Protection Chief, said, “The safety of our firefighters is priority number one.  The dozers give us a huge improvement in fire safety, and this is why we have a steady partnership with Blanchard. Blanchard knows our operations and is great about training our staff.”

Doug Mills, the Fleet and Equipment Manager for S.C Forest Protection, commented on the improvements their department has seen since purchasing Cat equipment, especially in “the tolerance of glass breaking and metal bending,” providing his team with additional safety. While Brad Bramlett, the Fire Staff Forester, offered a testament to the partnership with Blanchard, saying, “they’ve continued to back us up throughout the lifetime of the dozer, even after the sale. They’re all about safety,” which only makes the Forest Protection department’s job easier.

But safety equipment for a wild land firefighter is entirely different from safety equipment for an urban firefighter. Wild land firefighters can’t operate in the heavy protective gear used by urban Fire Departments, and instead they rely on fire retardant clothing, hats, and gloves. This lack of heavy gear is part of why the D4K2 dozers are so necessary. The D4K2 dozer provides additional safety protection because of its enclosed cab, air filtration system and climate control, allowing both the machine and operator to withstand the dangers of smoke and fire conditions.

Wild land firefighters are also equipped with a fire tent, which firefighters use as a small shelter that causes fires to roll over the user, leaving him or her unscathed. The cabs of the dozers are also equipped with fire curtains, which hang over the side windows, and add extra protection. Additionally, all the dozers are equipped with Product Link, which is a system that allows the machines to be monitored remotely.

When asked about safety and the importance of the D4K2 dozer, Brian Smith, the Territory Manager at Blanchard Machinery said, “The equipment we provide is essential to the wildfire fighting process. What most people don’t realize is that a wildfire and a fire in an urban setting are entirely different beasts. The dozers allow the firefighters to cut paths into the forest, taking away fuel from the fire and stopping its advance.”

To protect yourself against wildfires, review the infographic below, and visit the S.C. Forestry Commission’s website https://www.scfc.gov/ to learn more.