FOL-DA-TANK® Flying Water Tanks by Joel Wright
The speed of innovation can be amazing. I remember asking my wife’s grandmother at her 100th birthday party what invention most affected her life. She said when she got electricity in her home it made so many activities faster, cleaner, and easier. No doubt electricity affected her generation very quickly once it was accessible. Federal loans were made available for rural electrical distribution systems in 1935 and by 1950 80% of farms in the US had electric service. Fifteen years to electrify 80% of farms across America is an accomplishment on par with the 7 years it took to go from the world’s first practical helicopter flight in Stratford, Connecticut to the first practical use of a helicopter in wildland firefighting.
The first documented helicopter use for wildland firefighting was in 1946 for scouting problem wildfire areas from above. Imagine the excitement for the team to know exactly where to go to be most effective. Delivering water to remote areas followed scouting as helicopters became more powerful. Starting with the world’s first folding firefighting water tank patented in 1954, FOL-DA-TANK ® built relationships with the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Army and Navy and countless fire departments and detachments around the world. For helicopter firefighting, FOL-DA-TANK ® offers a family of flying water tanks to carry 72, 134, 200, or 300 gallons of water to remote locations and are used for filling backpack tanks, potable water, and extinguishing duff embers.
From remote wildlands to crowded urban streets, FOL-DA-TANK ® fire fighting water tank containment and deployment systems are second to none. With styles, capacities and features to fit any application, you’ll find the perfect portable water tank solution for your specific needs.
To learn more about FOL-DA-TANK ® Flying Water Tanks, watch the video below or call Josh Genz our sales manager by day and veteran volunteer firefighter by night.