Brush Engine

Brush engines are smaller than urban/structural engines. They are designed for rural/wildland firefighting where access is limited and roadways are not always available. The equipment and components are oriented toward fighting brush fires.

Brush engines have a 500 GPM (gallons per minute) pump, a 500-gallon water tank and a larger complement of smaller and lighter hose for wildland firefighting. The pump has a built-in foam system allowing the water to be chemically treated to aid in the extinguishment of brush fires.

A unique feature on the brush engines is the pump-and-roll capability. This makes them very effective against fast-moving brush fires. They can drive and pump water at the same time, allowing firefighters to make a "running attack" on the fire.

Staffing: When a brush fire occurs, the three-person crew assigned the first-run engine at a fire station will normally change to staff the brush engine. During extended emergencies, the brush engines may be staffed separately and staffing may be increased.

Radio designation: Brush engines are a Type III engine resource (wildland) in the Incident Command System, so our brush engines are numbered in the "300" series.