Fire Buggy Provides On-Farm Fire Protection

Fire Buggy Provides On-Farm Fire Protection SECURITY/SAFETY Fire Marvin May built his Fire Buggy after his parents lost several farm buildings a windbreak and fencing in a 2012 fire Immediately after leaving the devastating scene May came up with his plan “I looked on the Internet and found a Mertz floater spray rig for sale north of Lincoln Nebraska ” he explains “I took all the pipe off and put on two high pressure pumps and plastic fittings I spent all winter rebuilding it ” He positioned fire nozzles on each side and controls them with linear actuators After spending a lot of time trying to set up a nozzle on the front he learned about the Akron Brass Company Fire Monitor an apparatus that can spray water 190 degrees in a fog or more than 100 ft on a jet setting The Mertz floater carries three tanks including a large 1 600-gal tank and two 50-gal tanks With throttle controls May can adjust the pump pressure and on its highest setting can empty the 1 600-gal tank in 20 minutes “I put in 2 and 3-in fill pipes on both sides so anyone can fill it with water ” May notes On his farm he keeps 15 000 gal of water on hand in various chemical plastic totes and tanks Since building the Fire Buggy for less than $15 000 he hasn’t had to use it to fight a fire But he has found a couple of uses for it “During wheat harvest we’ve had various fires in the past started by bearings and chains So instead of having it sitting in the shed we park the Fire Buggy on the edge of the field in case there’s a problem ” May says To make sure everything is working May occasionally waters the outside rows of corn during dry periods “We need fire protection The fire department is 10 miles away so we can be addressing a fire before the fire department gets here ” he says Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Marvin May 2044 700th Rd Oberlin Kansas 67749 catchopper77@hotmail com