(BIVN) – A new all terrain firefighting truck, said to be the first of its kind in the United States, has been gifted to Hawaiʻi County.
The Fawcett Cannon All Terrain Fire Fighting Truck – designed and built in British Columbia, Canada – was recently donated to the County by Marc and Lynne Benioff through the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation.
The Fawcett Cannon is equipped with a 2,250-gallon water tank, high velocity pumps and a powerful cannon controlled from inside the the cab, allowing one operator to do the work of a full crew. The vehicle can be driven through active wildfire areas, and has a front mounted 12.5 foot blade to clear debris and fallen trees. The firefighting truck can use salt water as well as fresh water.
A blessing ceremony was conducted last week by Kahu Danny and Anna Akaka. The Fawcett Cannon will be housed in Waimea.
From a Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation news release:
“It all started over a year ago with a YouTube video,” said Laura Mallery-Sayre. “Marc saw the video and got excited about the Fawcett Cannon and the process moved forward. Let me tell you that crossing borders and an ocean was no easy task to get it here too.”
The gift builds on the Benioffs’ longstanding support for fire and emergency response across Hawaii, donating three big dog fire trucks, nearly two dozen brushfire trucks, an engine truck, and two aviation fuel trucks to the Hawaii Fire Department. They have also supported a rescue boat and an additional rapid-response boat for Hawaii Island, an Airbus H-125 emergency fire suppression and rescue helicopter, H-145 aeromedical critical-care transport helicopter that will help transport critically ill and injured patients to the Queen’s Medical Trauma 1 Center in Honolulu.
The Benioffs also donated 11 Dolphin 3 rescue buoys for the Ocean Safety Division of the Hawaii Fire Department and supported a new fire station in Olowalu on West Maui.
