Vault: Two-phase mobility

California-based Rescue 42 debuted the prototype for its Vault at this year’s Fire Rescue International tradeshow in Denver.

The unit is essentially a pull cart that is raised and lowered with a scissor-lift and mounts on a 2-inch trailer hitch. The vault has a maximum weight of 500 pounds, which the company said can be wheeled by one person across various terrains and mounted on a truck or SUV without separate wheels for towing.

One person can raise the Vault to the height of the trailer hitch, lock it in place, then lift the wheels off the ground.

The company is offering four configurations for the fire service. The most basic are the workstation and general-purpose box. The box is a weather-resistant, lockable cargo box; the workstation has a fold-open enclosure that can be outfitted with shelves, cabinets and a generator.

One of the more interesting configurations is the portable hydrant and pump system. The cart is loaded with a 275-gpm pump, 20 feet of 3-inch hard suction line, 200 feet of 3-inch discharge hose and a 3-inch ball valve with a 2 ½-inch male fire hose connection.

The unit can be set up in less than three minutes to feed water tenders or pumpers, the company said. This configuration also can be used for dewatering in the aftermath of a flood.

The pump system configuration sells for about $4,000.

The Vault also can be configured for mobile incident command. This configuration comes with a generator and is wired for lighting and communication electronics. Options include easy-up shelters, command boards and T-Card holders.

The scissor jack can raise the unit high enough for someone to work from either the sitting or standing position.

The command center configuration sells for about $7,000.

Rescue 42 Owner Tim O’Connell said production is set to begin soon.