By Bill Adkins
When covering rural areas, the typical vehicle may not be sufficient for the incident at hand. At times we may need to use our imagination to complete the task. Letting our imaginations run wild prior to that incident will help when that incident arises. It is not common for a fire department to approach its councilmen or trustees for the need of a side-by-side ATV. However, there can be a need if the demographics align.
Peebles Fire Department covers Meigs Township, Oliver Township, the Village of Peebles, and the foothills of the Appalachian region in Ohio. A few years back it determined it would need a low-profile, short-wheelbase type of vehicle. Luckily, the department qualified for the ODNR firefighter property grant. This allowed it to obtain a military grade Razor for next to nothing. The only stipulation it had was to be in service within six months.
Razor 15 stored on a trailer with rope rescue equipment, stokes basket, and extra foam. Stokes basket mounted in razor 15 with Enforcer 10 foam system. 
Front mounts for the stokes basket. Front mounts for the stokes basket. Back compartment with stokes basket mounted in razor 15. 
Back compartment with stokes basket mounted in razor 15.
Razor 15
Razor 15 is a 2017 Polaris MRZR 2. It is powered by a liquid-cooled 3-cylinder turbo diesel Kohler engine; this is not a typical powertrain for the RZR models. It is 4X4 and has a winch mounted on the front. This unit is primarily used as a field unit along with search and rescue efforts. However, they are convinced that the possibilities are endless.
After taking delivery of the slightly used military-style razor, Peebles Fire Department had to come up with a game plan to get the most use out of the new apparatus. Again, with the area being mostly rural, having hundreds of miles of ATV riding trails, and large areas for hunting and fishing, the firefighters knew they could use it for a magnitude of incidents and special details.
First, they needed to secure what they wanted it for in the first place, and that was for a field unit. With wanting this unit to conquer some rugged terrain, they needed to keep it lightweight. This led them to installing an Enforcer 10 suppression system. This allows them to only need 10 gallons of foam and water along with an SCBA bottle to produce the equivalent of 200 gallons of finishing foam. The Enforcer 10 is also easily removed if more room is needed for non-fire-related incidents.
Enforcer 10 CAFS system is lightweight for off-road vehicles which uses 10 gallons of foam and water to equal up to 200 gallons of finished foam. 
100 feet of hose with the Enforcer 10. Allows crews to access spots the razor can’t. Razor 15 without the stokes basket. Suitable for a crew of 2 – 3 firefighters. 
Front winch, LED scene lighting, and D-ring shackles on all 4 sides of the vehicle. Standard SCBA bottle used with Enforcer 10 to create finished foam.
Search and rescue is another high-frequency incident Peebles Fire Department finds itself in. Another brush truck tows the Razor 15 via trailer. On the trailer is an enclosed compartment for rescue equipment. Extrication tools, rope rescue, and extra foam are the primary equipment always stored on the trailer. A stokes basket can be quickly mounted to the Razor with the head of the patient remaining inside for patient safety while transporting to an EMS unit.
In addition to rescue efforts, Razor 15 has been used for lost or injured hunters, hikers with medical issues, ATV accidents, lighting in remote areas, and an abundance of special details. Peebles firefighters have been amazed by the need for a Razor from time to time.
I hope this article will guide you in the right direction when thinking whether or not you need an ATV. If the need to ask council or a trustee arises, they may laugh at first but after some explaining they can’t help but to possibly reconsider.
