4x4 & Off-Road

4x4s have been used in the Fire Service since Land Rover produced their first Fire Tender in 1951.  For many years, the most common 4x4 was the Land Rover Defender, although some rural brigades utilised lightweight pumps with off-road abilities. When production of the Defender ceased in 2016, the lack of a cost-effective alternative prompted many Brigades to adopt Pick-Up trucks as a replacement. These vehicles are used for various purposes, including lightweight fire appliances, specialist rescue units, wildfire units, staff transport and general-purpose vehicles. Recent developments in fighting Wildfires have seen various off-road vehicles adapted for fire-fighting purposes, including Unimogs, Cam-AMs and  Polaris ATVs.