Airport gets a ‘triple threat’

Friday, Feb. 7, 2003 | 9:46 a.m.

The newest weapon in the McCarran International Airport firefighting arsenal demonstrated its ability to save passengers' lives in less than 90 seconds by pumping water on a flaming jet.

Airport officials on Thursday rolled out Red Dog 43, a $475,000 self-contained flame fighting machine known as the "Striker." Airport revenues, not local taxpayers, footed the bill for the new vehicle.

Clark County Aviation Director Randy Walker said the 55-ton computerized truck that operates with a two-person crew brings McCarran into the 21st century.

"They've named it the triple threat," he said.

In addition to carrying 4,500 gallons of water, the truck can deliver 630 gallons of foam or 450 pounds of a dry chemical firefighting agent, so it offers three ways to fight a single blaze or several fires, Deputy Fire Chief Bill Kourim said.

The Striker also stores 460 pounds of a clean, nontoxic firefighting agent, Halotron, Kourim said.

The airport has a total of six firefighting vehicles, with the Striker replacing one of the older tankers. Two or three firefighters can ride each truck.

Federal regulations require that an airport fire crew douse flames generated by a fiery plane crash within 90 seconds to provide a safe pathway for passengers to escape, Kourim said. Every drill at McCarran has successfully been completed in less than 90 seconds, he said.

With infrared sensors on the roof of the cab, the truck and its crew have the equivalent of night goggles for responding to an emergency in the dark.

"We are going to create a safe avenue for the passengers," airport training officer Bill Hutfilz said. "It's the latest and greatest of the next generation of fire trucks."

There are 60 Strikers built and ready to respond to airline fires around the world, said Michael Crowe, vice president of sales and marketing for Oshkosh Truck Corp. of Wisconsin, the company behind the vehicle.

The fire truck has the same acceleration and braking systems as new military vehicles used by the Marines, Crowe said.

"The truck evolved from sketches on paper to the truck you see today," Crowe said.

Kuwait is scheduled to receive two of the Strikers next week. They leave from Oshkosh, Wis., on Monday, Crowe said.