Today Cathaoirleach of Muinebheag MD Cllr. Michael Doran & CCC DOS Padraig O’Gorman officially launched the new Wildland Firefighting All Terrain Vehicle in Bagenalstown and at the Nine Stones on Mount Leinster.
Every year Carlow County Fire & Rescue Service are called to Wildland Fires and traditionally firefighters would carry Backpack Sprayers with 20lts of water, other equipment and have to traverse vast areas of terrain to reach the fire which are generally in very remote and difficult to access areas These can also be very difficult to locate often done so by driving our Fire Appliances around accessible roads with crews using binoculars. More often than not the fires are not accessible with Fire Appliances and 4×4 Jeeps.
Carlow Firefighters can now launch Thermal Imaging Drones in minutes, assess and locate the Wildland Fire and then deploy the ATV which can drive in 4 wheel, 2 wheel or single wheel drive and reach a speed of up to 40 Kph to traverse difficult terrain quickly and bring to the fire:
3 x Firefighters
250 lts of water with a Vallfirest fire pump
50m hose and fire nozzle that has a 20 m throw
Other equipment – Backpack Blowers, Beaters and fire break tools
28 minutes of firefighter water supply
Polaris Ranger Delux Edition – Road legal or transported by trailer & 4×4 Jeep
Carlow Firefighters can then launch Thermal Imaging Drones used to assist the Incident Commander assess the Wildland Fire, make a plan and then also provides top cover to monitor Firefighter safety and movement of the Wildland Fires which can change direction quickly with the wind.
A/CFO Ben Woodhouse:
‘Wildland Fires are becoming more frequent in Ireland, across Europe and further afield with changes in our climate. We commenced this project in September 2025 for fires we attend each year in the Mount Leinster area and other areas across Carlow. This progressive and innovative new Wildland ATV & Wildland Firefighting Equipment Project, used in conjunction with our Thermal Imaging Drones and learning from a recent Wildland & Forestry Firefighting Course in Poland we attended, will ensure we reach Wildland Fires quicker, provide for the welfare and safety of our Firefighters and ensure we are more efficient reducing the impact of Wildland Fires on the local environment and wildlife.’