Shelby firefighters buy new tracked utility vehicle for department

SHELBY — A 2015 Polaris Ranger 900 EPS, purchased by the Shelby-Benona Fire Fighters Association, is the fire department’s newest firefighting tool.

“This unit was purchased by the Shelby-Benona Fire Fighters Association with funds raised from the Bob and Mary Ann Hukill Memorial Fire Scramble,” states a press release from the department. “This unit, when placed into service, should give us numerous advantages when fighting wildland/woods fires as well as search and rescue type calls.

“We have ordered a skid from KimTek Corporation that will have 70 gallons of water with a 5.5 horsepower pump,” the press release states. “This skid will also be designed so we will be capable of transporting a patient on a backboard or stokes basket. We chose to go with a tracked unit, so we would be better to traverse multiple types of terrain, such as dunes/beaches, soft marshy areas,  and snow-covered trails, just to name a few. This is one more tool in our arsenal to better provide for our community and surrounding areas.”

“Tracked utility vehicles have proven to be extremely useful in Oceana County for reaching areas not accessible by wheeled vehicles — winter and summer,” states Mason-Oceana 911 Director Ray Hasil. “In this area, they are particularly useful at dune/woods fires and patient extractions.”