Landfills fires are common, and dangerous. The hazardous fumes emitted from the combustion of the wide range of materials contained within a landfill make for volatile organic matter that can start fires. For heavy machinery operators who work the landfill, there is also heightened risk of their equipment catching fire. Vehicle suppression systems installed on heavy machinery detect and extinguish fires to avoid serious injury to the vehicle operator or major damage to the facility.
Importance of vehicle suppression systems
Trash and other materials within a landfill can get caught up under a piece of heavy machinery, or in the engine of the vehicle. The engine on many of these vehicles burns incredibly hot and the combination of this extreme heat and debris from the landfill can easily lead to fire.
Vehicle suppression systems are absolutely critical to prevent damage from fires like these. Vehicle systems alert the vehicle operator to fire that may not be seen and automatically extinguishes the fire using dry chemical, wet chemical, or a combination of the two, depending on the system type.
Kamatsu system install
Fire Systems was recently contacted by a Kamatsu dealer that builds and sells heavy machinery and vehicles for their customers. 
One of their customers, a county landfill, had requested a vehicle suppression system to be installed on a used Kamatsu HM300-3 Articulating Haul Truck. The type and size of system installed is usually based on what model of machine it is and where that type of machine will be used. For this particular vehicle, the vehicle suppression system installed on the truck was an Ansul LT-A-101-30 dry chemical with an LVS 5-gallon wet chemical vehicle fire suppression system with automatic and manual actuation.
This dual agent system (uses both wet and dry chemical) is ideal for this type of vehicle because of the heat that the engine emits. All newer machines built today are equipped with engines built in line with specifications laid out by the EPA and their air quality requirements. That means the vehicles are designed with Tier 4 diesel engines that burn hotter than traditional engines. Using only dry chemical would prove ineffective at fully extinguishing the fire and smoldering the flames. Wet and dry chemical in combination guarantee proper extinguishment of the vehicle fire.
The Fire Systems advantage
The dealer of this haul truck has been working with Fire Systems for years. “We have had a great relationship with them for more than 15 years,” said Jason B., manager.
They trust that Fire Systems can install, inspect, and repair all vehicle suppression systems installed on their vehicles and other heavy machinery. Their customers rely on them as a manufacturer and dealer to arrange for the proper install of their vehicle systems when ordered. Fire Systems is also incredibly efficient. Most vehicle system installs are completed by one technician in about two days.
Fire systems, Inc. has been doing vehicle fire suppression systems since the founding of the company in 1986. The company has an excellent group of technicians with more than 35 years of experience in servicing and installing these types of systems. As a result, Fire Systems is well known in the southeast for their experience and quality of work.
