APPLETON, WIS. (September 16, 2002) – Oshkosh Truck Corporation and Pierce Manufacturing Inc., the leading North American manufacturer of custom fire apparatus, delivered the first new 8×8 Tactical Fire Fighting Truck (TFFT) to the U.S. Army Reserve today. In ceremonies held at Pierce’s headquarters in Appleton, Wis., John Randjelovic, president of Pierce, presented the U.S. military’s newest fire fighting truck to Lt. Gen. James R. Helmly, Chief, Army Reserve.
The TFFT is a joint development project between Pierce and its parent company, Oshkosh Truck Corporation. It combines the extreme off-road mobility and combat-proven performance of the Oshkosh¨ HEMTT M977 with the advanced firefighting capabilities of industry-leading Pierce¨ fire apparatus. The truck presented will be deployed worldwide for structural fire protection, wildland firefighting, fuel storage protection, aircraft rescue and rescue extrication in almost any terrain. The versatility of the TFFT is an important benefit in meeting the military’s responsibilities for homeland defense.
“The Tactical Fire Fighting Truck can respond quickly to any type of fire or rescue situation, regardless of location or terrain,” said Randjelovic. “We are proud to serve the U.S. Army Reserve by providing them with the most versatile and powerful fire fighting vehicle in their arsenal.”
Built on a 210-inch wheelbase, the TFFT features all-wheel drive, a Detroit Diesel 450-horsepower engine, and a cruising range of 400 miles. It can ford four feet of water and climb a 60-percent grade at full payload. Other features include a 1,000-gallon water tank, a Darley 1000-gpm fire pump and a Pierce Husky¨ dual-agent foam system.
Although currently designated for use by the U.S. Army Reserve, the U.S. Army and the National Guard, the TFFT has the capability to meet the tactical mission requirements of all branches of the U.S. military.
Pierce Manufacturing, Inc. is the leading North American manufacturer of custom fire apparatus and a subsidiary of Oshkosh Truck Corporation [NYSE: OSK]. Products include custom and commercial pumpers, aerials, rescue trucks, wildland trucks, minipumpers and elliptical tankers. The company designs and manufactures its own foam systems and has its own foam-testing center. Pierce apparatus are backed by 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week service, with the strongest support network dedicated exclusively to the fire service.
