UNFORTUNATELY THE DESIGNER OF THE AMATOYA fire suppression vehicle doesn’t seem to realize just how much water you need in a wildland fire when you’re miles away from a source. But we like his design as a starting point for what could become a practical firefighting vehicle if it’s efficiently outfitted.
The vehicle is described by Liam Ferguson, the designer as: Amatoya is a concept reconnaissance and suppression vehicle that gives us a new approach to fire-fighting. This highly advanced and specialized light tanker functions primarily as a reconnaissance vehicle and offers unmatched vehicle and crew safety/survivability. It promises to be the best front line defense during the scene of an emergency. He is obviously working with wildland firefighting in mind and is approaching it from European viewpoint.
He continues:
Cabin temperature and vehicle survivability are central to the AMATOYA concept. Existing approaches in survival engineering on fire tankers consistently appears as augmentation rather than integration. Methods are passive, typically reactive and often incapacitate the appliance when in use. A key example is the use of curtain heat shields, while effective, when employed render the appliance out of operation.
To create a homogenous directive towards survivability AMATOYA incorporates state of the art clear aerogel laminated insulation in the windows and bodywork, a dedicated auxiliary water supply to operate a highly efficient, intelligent temperature controlled spray down system, military grade sacrificial thermo ceramic intumescent paints, and a mechanically injected large displacement diesel engine specifically engineered for the unique conditions experienced on the fire ground.
These measures will assure that even in the case of an extremely prolonged and high intensity burnover the vehicle will not only maintain cabin integrity, but opposed to existing appliances AMATOYA will remain fully operational.
The concept is explained in more detail along with a lot more photos and diagrams on the YankoDesign WEBSITE HERE. Check it out and decide for yourself whether there is any potential in the design.
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