The Importance of Agility: Applying a History Lesson to Firefighting

The famous three hundred Spartans get all the credit for saving classical Greece from Persian conquest, but the real saviors of Greece were the sailors who bested a far larger Persian fleet at the Battle of Salamis. They did so thanks largely to their lighter, more maneuverable ships.


What does this moment in history have to do with best practices for fighting fires? The modern heroes who defend land, structures and people from fire face a more pitiless foe, but flexibility and maneuverability can be just as critical to their fight as they were for those ancient Greeks.


Initial attacks and spot patrols on fires, especially rural, field, forest, and brush fires, as well as prescribed burns, are often best fought with a highly mobile vehicle, one that can reach the fire ground operations on rough terrain and remote areas.


Many urban and urban-wildlife interface fires are best faced, even if only for initial attack, with the versatility and maneuverability of a skid unit on an ATV or pickup truck.

A portable truck solution provides the agility you need

A portable skid deck is a compact and lightweight unit that combines versatility and rugged design with remarkable affordability. It is “plug and play” in that it can be easily and quickly installed on or removed from a truck by two people in a matter of minutes. In addition to being both durable and high quality, it can be used for a wide variety of applications, including:


  • Initial attack on a fire, especially in difficult to reach locations such as wildland or on a large ranch
  • Management of prescribed burning
  • Municipal fire departments
  • Park and spot fire patrol
  • Mop-up operations
  • Transporting water on farmland
For many, a skid deck (or lightweight skid unit) is the next best thing to having your own fire truck.

The WATERAX RANCHER®

Instantly converting any pickup truck into an extremely mobile fire truck, the WATERAX RANCHER® lightweight skid unit is rugged, yet affordable. Powerful, yet easy to operate.


The RANCHER® is a professional firefighter-grade system that comes with top of the line components including the powerful and durable MINI-STRIKER® pump and proven Hannay hose reel, which provide extremely strong performance for moving water. It is ideal for rapid intervention in remote areas not easily reached by larger vehicles, and comes with either a 65 gallon or 125 tank capacity.



Helping agencies win the battle

Agencies using the WATERAX RANCHER® skid deck include state and wildlife management parks, agriculture departments, rural fire departments, fire management agencies, and landowners. Sea Hawk Specialized Truck Service is an authorized dealer.


We have nothing but good ratings for the RANCHER. It is the perfect size for our Ranger and has great volume and pressure with the pump. It is very well designed and I am very pleased with this unit all around.”


-- Chris Leckie, Fire Chief of the MacGregor MB Fire Dept.


''My RANCHER from WATERAX was instrumental in my private contracting company successfully prescribed burning nearly 6000 acres in the State of Florida on park lands. Never once did it let me down.”


-- Carlos Gutierrez, President, CEO & Owner at Bird Dog Fire & Land Management Inc.

Try the RANCHER® for yourself to see how easy it is to use. Examine its quality first-hand and consider how versatility and maneuverability could help you win your battles with fire.


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