Self recovery of mired brush trucks

While battling wildland fires in my area during the wet season a few of our brush trucks become mired in soft/muddy ground. Realizing that stopping before they are mired too deep is the key to self recovery but sometimes we need a dozer or tractor to recover them. Of course this takes time away from fighting the fire plus puts FFs and equipment in danger.

What methods and/or tricks do you use to self recover mired brush trucks?

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Permalink Reply by FF Nick on April 17, 2009 at 4:19pm

Hopefully there's a winch point somewhere nearby or we'll call for the D5 dozer to come snatch us.

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Permalink Reply by Chad Furr on April 17, 2009 at 4:23pm

depends on time allowed. As in is there a current danget to equipment or FF's? or are you far enough away to take a few minutes? If danger then a tractor to the rescue. If no danger then tackle and blocks on our truck will usually do the trick if there is something to anchor to.

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Permalink Reply by BillySFCVFD on April 17, 2009 at 4:32pm

I'm looking for tips on self recovery only. Not all our trucks have winches. Some of our FFs have spend some time shoveling then placing boards and rocks under the tires with and without luck.

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Permalink Reply by paul michael komandt on April 17, 2009 at 4:36pm

if you have a rig that is under 9,000 lbs a winch and a device that digs in the ground when pulled on is great. this device is called the PULL-PAL. i used to own one for my 4x4. our brush rig is a jeep so it would work great, You can use this if you have not completely burried your larger rig and just need a LITTLE help. google search PULL-PAL, it was developerd for the off=road industry an little over 17 years ago. a larger spade would increase the holding power.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on April 17, 2009 at 6:04pm

Drive a steel picket in then winch to it....if nothing else is available to strap to....Paul

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Permalink Reply by PFC Harmon on April 17, 2009 at 10:13pm

I would do everything possible to have every rig outfitted with a winch. If thats not an option you can just get a chep two ton come along and some cable and chain will work just fine, just not as quick.

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Permalink Reply by Tony P on April 17, 2009 at 10:36pm

On our larger (14 tonne) off road pumpers we carry tow chains, and always work in company, never alone. These chains can be used if recovery looks possible, otherwise we call for help. Our smaller off-road vehicles carry cables for the same purpose.

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Permalink Reply by Robert on April 17, 2009 at 10:47pm

we carry chains and cables on both our brush rig's. And there is always a nearby state tractor or dozer. so we call for help while trying to get unstuck ourselves. better to have help coming and not need them. No winches for us to costly says the township.

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Permalink Reply by Mick Shelley on April 17, 2009 at 11:35pm

WE HAVE WINCHES ON OUR TRUCKS THANK GOD, AND WE USED THEM 4 TIMES IN THE PAST 2 MONTHS

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Permalink Reply by Trainer on April 18, 2009 at 6:50am

Billy as you well know it’s all in the way you drive. I’m in this position a lot with my work PU but a full wildland rig will be a new experience as ours will be delivered in December but I have a couple of ideas. My first thought is to leave it in 2 wheel drive until you can no longer go forward, then engage all 4 to back out, this may not always work knowing full well that forward momentum is the key, but may get the driver thinking about what he needs to be doing. Plan B is to have a farm tractor, for us there is always one close, and carry a tow rope, the rope works a lot better then chain or cable as it stretches, this avoids the chain shock and the pulling truck/tractor can actually stop and still have pulling power stored in the rope, this make sense??

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Permalink Reply by Fire Chick on April 18, 2009 at 7:18am

sometimes u cant help getting stuck.. around out area there are a few povs.. that come from each station...so if we get stuck and cant get out ourselves someone in a truck pulls us out or we use a winch or another fire truck...

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Permalink Reply by Allen on April 18, 2009 at 8:22am

We have winches on our trucks and we get stuck All the dang time. no it is not cause we do not know how to drive (Well some of them don't), we have a LOT of areas that are soft sand and blown sand. We do not see it and the next thing your stuck like chuck. But anyway, if you can find a way to put a winch on it, i think that would be your best bet. If you do not have a tree or something to hook to, get another truck and lock in to their front or back hitch point and then pull your self out.