Murfreesboro Fire & Rescue Department received word Tuesday that the department is the recipient of a Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation grant totaling $16,293.07.

The funds will be used to purchase a brush skid unit to be placed on a Humvee MFRD acquired from the State of Tennessee with City Council's approval in February. The unit will contain an ultra-high pressure suppression system, a Honda gasoline fire pump motor, and a tank that will hold 125 gallons of water and approximately 12 gallons of foam. A hose reel with 100 feet of hose and a pistol grip nozzle will also be included. The unit will be used for brush fires, airplane incidents, and disaster response.

The grant is 100 percent funded by the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. Therefore, the City will not incur any costs.

MFRD also received a grant from the organization in March 2013, a Polaris Off-Road Ranger and skid unit worth $18,100.

About Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation

In 2005, Firehouse Subs created the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation with the mission of providing funding, life-saving equipment, and educational opportunities to first-responders and public safety organizations. Through the non-profit 501(c)(3), Firehouse Subs has given more than $14 million to hometown heroes in 43 states and Puerto Rico, including more than $696,149 in Tennessee.

Background on Purchase of Humvees

In February, Murfreesboro's City Council approved for Murfreesboro Fire & Rescue Department to purchase a military HMMWV (HUMVEE) to be used as a firefighting brush truck. This vehicle was purchased from the Tennessee Department of General Services whose primary customers are other departments and agencies within State government, and citizens and organizations interested in purchasing surplus state property. Previously, the HMMWV was only available to law enforcement for drug enforcement and counter-terrorism. However, the US Government recently changed this policy, making this vehicle available to government agencies other than law enforcement. MFRD was the first fire department to acquire this vehicle under the new policy.

This unit will be assigned to Station 6 located on Memorial Boulevard. This will effectively cut initial response times from a brush unit in half and double the firefighting capabilities on any off-road scene. The vehicle will also be used in natural disasters such as floods, snow/ice storms, and tornadoes.

The HMMWV will be outfitted with a high pressure brush firefighting skid unit (purchased with the grant funds from Firehouse Subs) that has a foam capability to assist with aircraft incidents as well as off-road.

HMMWV Information: (Source: http://amgeneral.com)

Known by its military designation as the High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle, the HMMWV is a lightweight, highly mobile, diesel-powered, four-wheel-drive vehicle. It can perform in a wide variety of terrain, from deserts to jungles, for long periods of time, with minimal maintenance.

The HMMWV has a 16-inch ground clearance, while the vehicle stands only 72 inches high. Full-time four-wheel drive, independent suspension, steep approach and departure angles, 60 percent slope-climbing, 40 percent side slope and 30-inch water-fording capabilities combined with high ground clearance, make the HMMWV an exceptional off-road vehicle. The HMMWV has a low profile (six feet tall), a wide stance (seven feet wide) and is 15 feet long. These proportions contribute to a stable, road-hugging truck that is very difficult to roll over.

The aluminum body reduces weight giving the HMMWV a curb weight of approximately 5,200 lbs., and a 1½-ton payload capacity.

This HMMWV has a 6.2 liter V-8 diesel engine with a three-speed automatic transmission. Combined with the AM General-designed, geared hub assembly in the power train, torque is doubled to each wheel in the hub of the wheel. Torque-biasing differentials allow the vehicle to continue to move forward as long as any one wheel has traction. Four-wheel disc brakes are mounted inboard against the sides of the differentials both of which are located up, between the frame rails, protecting them from impact and debris.