Next door in Oviedo, the fire department has a truck built for both of Central Florida's seasonal emergencies: brush fires in dry, lightning-prone months and flooded streets when the rain comes.
The vehicle, called Woods 48, has been in service since July 4, WFTV and WESH reported Tuesday. WESH noted the area is bracing for a wet winter influenced by El Niño.
Paid for by the state
WFTV reported that Oviedo received a $275,000 state award for the truck, which was built by Skeeter Emergency Vehicles, and another $275,000 for its equipment, for $550,000 in state money in all. State Rep. David Smith presented a check to the Oviedo City Council, according to the station.
Two jobs
As a brush truck, it carries a skid unit with firefighting gear, rides on all-terrain tires and has a rear platform for crews, according to WFTV. Oviedo firefighter David Montelongo told WESH the department often investigates smoke in summer after lightning strikes, and the truck can reach spots a full-size engine cannot.
For flooding, the department's fleet staff can lift the skid unit off. Benches fold down in back, and the truck can then move through as much as 36 inches of standing water and carry 10 to 12 people, Montelongo told WESH. It also carries life jackets and a throw bag for water rescues.
