MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) -- A new fire truck at the city's airport lets firefighters battle a blaze without hooking up to a hydrant.
The Oshkosh Striker 1500 holds 1,5000 gallons of water. It allows fire fighters to shoot water straight from the truck, officials said.
``We can pump and roll,'' said Joel Rasmussen, head of airport maintenance and firefighting. ``Instead of hooking up to hydrants, we can throw a couple of switches. We can actually start shooting water while we're pulling up to a fire.''
Inside the cab of the truck, an infrared imaging device allows firefighters to see through fog, smoke and other obstacles, Rasmussen said.
The truck is lime green, the easiest color to see in the dark, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
``You can't see white in the snow and red looks like black after dark. Lime green you can see anytime,'' Rasmussen said.
The FAA paid 90 percent of the truck's $524,800 price tag, said Pam Osgood, interim airport manager.
