AV As Fire/Rescue Vehicle

02Avalanche · Mar 17, 2003

My local Fire Department is looking to purchase a new brush unit and I suggested using an AV. Anyone out there know of any AV's in use as Fire/Rescue vehicles, if so any pics or info would be great.

EarthQuake · Mar 17, 2003

I saw a Sierra Mist Avalanche in Jacksonville the other day. That has next to nothing to do with what you're asking for, but I thought I'd put it in here.

OH! One of the Tennessee Titans is a volunteer firefighter here in TN and he has a red AV. He's had the cladding painted red, put some graphic stripes on it and some Volunteer firefighter logos on it. It looks pretty good.

02Avalanche · Mar 17, 2003

EarthQuake said:
I saw a Sierra Mist Avalanche in Jacksonville the other day. ?That has next to nothing to do with what you're asking for, but I thought I'd put it in here.

OH! ?One of the Tennessee Titans is a volunteer firefighter here in TN and he has a red AV. ?He's had the cladding painted red, put some graphic stripes on it and some Volunteer firefighter logos on it. ?It looks pretty good.

Sierra Mist AV

I bet that red on red AV looks great

I am interested in seeing if any Fire/Rescue AV's turn up!!!

thanks EQ

95Sportside · Mar 17, 2003

I saw an ad in this months 1st responder with an AV equiped as a Chief's vehicle. I'll look for the ad when I get to work in the AM.

bmsc · Mar 17, 2003

I saw a Av for sale on ebay a while back that was used as a police vehicle. It was being sold with light bar and sirens complete. I imagine there would be several used for that. We use the regular Chevy 3500 4x4 for our brush trucks. Only complaint, which wouldn't pertain to a Av, is that they set to low and get high centered...

speeder · Mar 17, 2003

There is a Volunteer Rescue Squad here in VA that purchased one as an ALS response zone vehicle. As with all state grant purchases it is white and has the 4" reflective tape all the way around. They then lettered it and put in a nice light package. I will see if I can get a pic. for you. The only problem that I can see with making it a brush truck is no dual wheel rear axle. The brush trucks need a high weight rating because there is a lot of weight over the rear axle due to the water tank. I do know that the national forestry service has purchased some AVs for firefighting, you might want to check with them for ideas or suggestions.

95Sportside · Mar 18, 2003

Check out this link:

Tri Industries Avalanche Page

02Avalanche · Mar 18, 2003

95Sportside said:
Check out this link:

Tri Industries Avalanche Page

Yes! see I knew there had to be some fire/rescue AV sources/examples out there.

thanks, 95 Sportside

02Avalanche · Mar 18, 2003

speeder said:
There is a Volunteer Rescue Squad here in VA that purchased one as an ALS response zone vehicle. ?As with all state grant purchases it is white and has the 4" reflective tape all the way around. ?They then lettered it and put in a nice light package. ?I will see if I can get a pic. for you. ?The only problem that I can see with making it a brush truck is no dual wheel rear axle. ?The brush trucks need a high weight rating because there is a lot of weight over the rear axle due to the water tank. ?I do know that the national forestry service has purchased some AVs for firefighting, you might want to check with them for ideas or suggestions.

Cool would you happen to know the company name # VA is not too far from me for a visit or better yet maybe they have a web site.

Thanks for the info.....

02Avalanche · Mar 18, 2003

bmsc said:
I saw a Av for sale on ebay a while back that was used as a police vehicle. It was being sold with light bar and sirens complete. I imagine there would be several used for that. We use the regular Chevy 3500 4x4 for our brush trucks. Only complaint, which wouldn't pertain to a Av, is that they set to low and get high centered...

Agree, would need the 2500 w/plow option to clean the lot during snow. We are decommissioning an older unit (4x4 Suburban w/plow) the station thought it would expand its capability by going with a brush unit. It might end up being a single rear wheel 3500 depends on how it stacks up. Thanks for the input......

ColoradoJason · Mar 18, 2003

02Avalanche said:
My local Fire Department is looking to purchase a new brush unit and I suggested using an AV. ?Anyone out there know of any AV's in use as Fire/Rescue vehicles, if so any pics or info would be great.

I hate to be the one to say it, but don't even think about using the Avalanche as a brush unit. It's a great truck but it's just not designed for that. If you put a slid-in unit on it, you'd have to keep the back seats down and there wouldn't be any way to seal the cab up from the weather. Plus that doesn't leave any room for the proper tools you need. And assuming you only have a relatively light load of only 250 gallons of water, that's a constant load of over 2100 lbs and that doesn't even include a pump.

If you want to do it right, get a brush unit built on a Ford chassis, F-450 or higher. We're talking a tremendous amount of weight and that chassis with a diesel engine is going to serve you much better.

Some genius at my department bought an ambulance on a 1996 Chevrolet 3500 chassis. It's been an absolute mistake from day one. The chassis is just plain overloaded. It can't handle that kind of weight. We have constant problems with the brakes, tires, you name it. If you try making the Av into a full-time brush truck, you're going to have the same problems. This is probably going to get some people angry with me... but if we're talking fire service and you need something heavy duty, buy a Ford.

But the Av would be great for a Chief's vehicle or as an ALS chase vehicle. I've got medical gear and all sorts of other stuff loaded on the BedSlide in mine and it's great.

02Avalanche · Mar 18, 2003

ColoradoJason said:
I hate to be the one to say it, but don't even think about using the Avalanche as a brush unit. ?It's a great truck but it's just not designed for that. ?If you put a slid-in unit on it, you'd have to keep the back seats down and there wouldn't be any way to seal the cab up from the weather. ?Plus that doesn't leave any room for the proper tools you need. ?And assuming you only have a relatively light load of only 250 gallons of water, that's a constant load of over 2100 lbs and that doesn't even include a pump.

If you want to do it right, get a brush unit built on a Ford chassis, F-450 or higher. ?We're talking a tremendous amount of weight and that chassis with a diesel engine is going to serve you much better. ?

Some genius at my department bought an ambulance on a 1996 Chevrolet 3500 chassis. ?It's been an absolute mistake from day one. ?The chassis is just plain overloaded. ?It can't handle that kind of weight. ?We have constant problems with the brakes, tires, you name it. ?If you try making the Av into a full-time brush truck, you're going to have the same problems. ?This is probably going to get some people angry with me... but if we're talking fire service and you need something heavy duty, buy a Ford.

But the Av would be great for a Chief's vehicle or as an ALS chase vehicle. ?I've got medical gear and all sorts of other stuff loaded on the BedSlide in mine and it's great.

Your points are well taken, but I go back to the days when we used jeeps as brush units. Reason, relatively small and light footprint easy to get through the woods and darn near impossible to get stuck. Now the Ford F450 goliath that you reference, no matter how nice, would sink like a brick and need a 4-lane highway to turn in. The 2500 could accommodate a slide-in type of pump tank system and yes maybe you would not be able to take the entire station house worth of apparatus and tools, but you can take 4 firefighters. So see big and heavy is not always best.