Lubbock Fire Department Uses ARFF Truck to Rescue Stuck Vehicles
The Lubbock Fire Department made lemonade out of lemons when it received approval to use a massive Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) truck to rescue fire apparatus and vehicles stuck due to this weekend's snowstorm.
According to the Lubbock Fire Department, the ARFF truck normally must stay on Lubbock Airport property. However, due to the airport's closure, the ARFF truck was released and put to good use: rescuing other fire department vehicles from the snow. Due to its build, engine power and tires, it can navigate the wintry mix of snow and ice covering Lubbock roadways.
ARFF trucks like the Oshkosh Striker are specially designed to allow firefighters to fight airport fires involving jet fuel.
According to Popular Science, ARFF trucks allow emergency responders to quickly get to the site of a fire and douse it with thousands of gallons of foam - a necessity to control blazes that may reach a heat up to 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit.
ARFF trucks are also present at the White House, U.S. Air Force bases and airports across the country.