CLT desarrolló una nueva herramienta para apagar incendios

A new firefighting device has been put into service at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), developed entirely in-house and potentially serving as an innovative model for other airports in tackling parking deck fires, electric-vehicle fires or fires in restricted areas and surface lots.

It’s called “RAMP 17,” which stands for Rapid Attack Multi-Purpose, and while it may look like a typical pickup truck, it’s anything but.

This F-350 can be operated by a single firefighter and has been custom retrofitted with a 60-gallon compressed-air foam system, eight car-fire blankets (each weighing 65 pounds), hose couplings and fittings, fire extinguishers, a specialized EV undercarriage nozzle and an EV-safe plug.

It also features 32 individually programmable, dual-function LED spotlights for use in low-light or smoky environments, along with pop-out steps on the truck for firefighter access. The vehicle height is 6 feet 8 inches — just low enough to clear a seven-foot parking deck entrance.

“Before this, we didn’t have a vehicle at the Airport that could enter the parking decks and make it all the way through,” said CLT Fleet Manager Matthew Alexander. “We can now respond quickly and keep a fire contained to help get it under control fast.”

See the truck in action here:

Collaboration Project

RAMP 17 was a joint effort between CLT Operations, Fleet Services/Facilities, Emergency Management and the Charlotte Fire Department. CLT Heavy Equipment Service Technician Master, Michael Hart, installed all the equipment and programmed the system.

CLT began evaluating the need for such a vehicle after a January 2024 tabletop exercise simulating an EV fire in a parking deck, which highlighted the increasing presence of EVs at the airport.

CLT estimates that between 200 and 300 electric vehicles park each month in the Hourly Deck, Express Deck, Preferred and Valet. (The Airport also has 18 public charging stations on site in the Hourly Deck, with additional chargers in the Express Deck Preferred (EDP) accessible to both EDP and Valet users.)

Then, in August 2024, just seven months after the exercise, an accidental car engine fire on the fourth floor of the Airport’s Hourly Deck spread to three other parked vehicles.

That incident was nearly identical to the simulation (excluding the EV component) and underscored the prior challenges of fire response in parking decks.

“We would have to pull up with the fire truck, and they’d have to unload all of the hose, run it up the stairs, hook up the water to the standpipes and charge the standpipes,” said Charlotte Fire's CLT Division Fire Chief Justin Field. “You’re talking 10-15 minutes or more - by the time they get on scene, before they can actually start putting the fire out.”

“When somebody fully decked out in turnout gear, they’ve got an extra 85 pounds of gear on their body already, plus 65 pounds for the fire blankets, trying to go up four, five, six flights of stairs,” added CLT Battalion Fire Chief Kevin Rink. “This truck has eight of those blankets already on there and the extra equipment.”

Now, the RAMP 17 operator can arrive and immediately begin extinguishing a fire using the fluorine-free foam system to prevent flames from spreading to other vehicles. In an EV fire, batteries can take much longer to cool and may reignite.

Cost Savings

The customized RAMP 17 was built for approximately $130K, covering the truck, necessary parts and installation. (A conventional fire truck can cost between $300K and $500K.) However, there is currently nothing on the market like the CLT-created vehicle.

“You can buy more of the brush truck type style, which has a 300-gallon water tank, a separate pump and engine to run that pump in the back,” added Alexander. “That’s what other Airports are using, like Los Angeles (LAX) and Miami (MIA).”

RAMP 17 can also be used on the airfield, ramp and anywhere on Airport property. It is a CLT-owned and serviced vehicle that will undergo an annual vehicle and safety inspection.

According to Alexander, “CLT recognizes the importance of being prepared for any situation. While we hope to never experience an EV fire at CLT, we’re glad to know we have this tool to be able to respond quickly and efficiently.”