Panaji: The directorate of fire and emergency services will soon acquire fire tenders to fight fires in difficult terrains. Officials said the fire department sent the proposal for procuring the fire tenders to govt and is awaiting approval.Fire officials said that the fire tenders will have an all-wheel-drive system to drive on all types of terrain. North zone divisional officer Shripad Gawas said, “These trucks have engines which will power all four wheels of the truck for superior traction, making it ideal for off-road conditions such as beach sand, where standard fire trucks struggle. It also has high ground clearance, and rugged suspension allows access to areas inaccessible to larger engines, such as forests, ports, or even mining sites.”Gawas said the fire tender will have a water capacity of 300 litres, compared to 4,000 litres in a standard fire truck. “In case of bigger fire incidents, the firefighters may have to call for reinforcements, but that would be a rare case. Usually, the beach fire cases are standard. These vehicles should help us fight fires and recover assets easily,” he said.Gawas said that the fire tender will be available in select fire stations and, based on performance, will be made available at all fire stations.
