Maryborough's new $750,000 fire truck used around region
MARYBOROUGH'S new state-of-the-art fire truck is making its way around the region as an incident command centre when bushfires break out.
In the past few days the $750,000 truck, officially known as an operations support unit and the first of its kind on the Fraser Coast, has been deployed to Goomboorian and Glen Echo, near Gympie, to assist rural and urban firefighters battling large bushfires.
The truck is about the same size as a standard fire truck but features a top-notch computer and communications system, which can allow on-the-spot firefighters to liaise with other stations, offices and government departments from the field.
It also has flat-screen TV, a breathing apparatus refill system and a satellite mapping system that can keep track of fire crews as they head into rough or difficult terrain.
Queensland Fire and Rescue Service Maryborough station officer Andrew Madders said the truck could be manned by firefighters already working, or others could be called in to drive it to the areas that were in need.
The unit was used at the scene of a large bushfire burning on Glen Echo and Miva Rds, Glen Echo, north west Gympie, which broke out just before noon on Thursday.
Firefighters successfully protected five structures from fire that afternoon.
