Turner Morris Firefighters:         

After experiencing numerous disasters over the years, finding a solution to the problem of grass and bushfires has become imperative. Millions of hectares of grazing land are lost annually due to these fires, especially during the dry conditions of the South African winter.

Losing grazing land results in farmers having to spend thousands of Rands on purchasing feed to sustain their livestock through the winter. Unfortunately, many farmers are forced to give up their livelihoods when their farms are destroyed by fires.

However, more than 20 years ago, Midmacor developed the first firefighter, a firefighter designed in collaboration with farmers and forestry professionals. Since then, this product has been continuously improved and is now the standard for many tenders and specifications. The Midmacor firefighter is unique to South Africa and developed specifically for local conditions. If you are considering purchasing a firefighter, there are several important factors to keep in mind.

What is the ideal tank size for a firefighter in South Africa?

Midmacor has learned over the years that the weight of a firefighter is a crucial factor in designing a unit. They played around with different tank sizes throughout the years. It started with a 500-litre unit many years ago, then moved to a 750, and later 1000 litre Considering that there are usually two or more men on the back of the vehicle, along with additional equipment, the extra weight can add up to as much as 350 kg. This is already close to the limit of a one-ton pick-up truck. Adding 1000L or 1000kg of water will exceed the limit and cause damage to the vehicle while driving through rough terrain. After much trial and error, they discovered that a 650L firefighter is the ideal weight for a one-ton pick-up truck. This size maximizes firefighting time while staying within the vehicle's load-carrying ability.

 
Why buy the Turner Morris firefighter?

Turner Morris uses high-quality components in their products. The Honda, and Turner Morris engines are some of the most popular engines in South Africa, due to their reliability. The Turner Morris firefighting pump has been in use since the first firefighter was built more than 20 years ago. It is the core of the firefighter and is supported by a nationwide supply of spare parts. Turner Morris has recently added the equally reliable Turner Morris engine to their range. This engine is making great strides in South Africa and is now the top choice for many farmers. It offers an affordable price with world-class quality and durability.

What special features are on the Turner Morris firefighters?

The Tank

The lid

The lid of these firefighters is designed to be large enough to guarantee access to the inside of the tank. This comes in handy when you want to use smaller amounts of water or spray other liquids from the unit. You can simply insert a large bucket of liquid into the tank rather than fill the entire unit with the liquid. When you add smaller amounts of liquids into the tank directly the chances of the pump running dry and losing pressure are more prevalent so this makes the Turner Morris unit much more versatile than other units.

The lid is also attached to the tank with a cable to avoid losing it in high high-pressure and fast-paced working environment. No one has time to go back and look for a lid that fell off the pick-up.

Algae Prevention

The Midmacor tank has a black lining on the inside that prevents the growth of algae. Algae tend to thrive in places where there is light, so the black lining helps to reduce the amount of light that penetrates the water, thereby decreasing the occurrence of algae and blockages in your water ports on the fighter.

Weight

As mentioned previously the weight of a firefighter is crucial as it affects the total mass that a vehicle needs to carry. It also determines how manoeuvrable the unit is. Firefighters are manually loaded onto a vehicle. The Turner Morris firefighter unit weighs less than 100 kg, which is approximately 30 kg lighter than other similar units on the market. Turner Morris was able to achieve this by reducing the amount of steel used in the design of the unit. Instead of using heavy metal frames as in the past, they have opted for a design that relies on the strength of a plastic tank. Our tank is more than 10mm thick, which increases the overall strength of the unit.

Shape

The tank has a unique shape that prevents the liquid inside from moving excessively from side to side. This helps to avoid putting unnecessary strain on your vehicle's axle and center of gravity while navigating through rough terrain. The tank is equipped with baffles that redirect the momentum of the water from side to side and instead move it in an upward trajectory.

The square-shaped tank also ensures a low center of gravity, with most of the weight right on top of the vehicle’s axle where most of the weight should ideally be.

Drainage

The Turner Morris Tank is also designed with a fast drain point to ensure fast and efficient drainage of the tank when necessary.

The pump

Spraying distance

The Turner Morris firefighter can reach up to 10 meters with their high-pressure unit while their low-pressure units can reach up to 15 meters. A long spraying distance enables you to reach a bigger part of the fire.

Pressure and flow balance

The combination of flow and pressure is crucial for high-pressure units. If the pressure is too high, it can cause the fire to spread instead of extinguishing it. Therefore, it's important to maintain the right balance between flow and pressure. High-pressure firefighters should aim to displace the oxygen in the area where the jet is sprayed. The water content in the jet ensures that the fire does not reignite after being extinguished. One can say that it's the pressure that puts out the fire, not the water itself. The Sanchin pump provides the precise ratio needed for this application.

In contrast, low-pressure firefighters extinguish fires by using water, which results in a higher water consumption rate. Therefore, they usually need to refill their water tanks every 15 to 20 minutes, while high-pressure firefighters only need to refill every 45 to 60 minutes.

Open-type pistons on the Piston pump

When the seals of open-type piston pumps, such as the Sanchin pump, are damaged, they leak into the atmosphere instead of the pump casing, which can lead to complete pump failure.

The Sanchin pump is also designed to be able to handle chemicals and insecticides to ensure the machine can be used for multiple purposes offering more value to our South African farmers.

The Hoses

Hose type

Turner Morris uses a steel wire-reinforced, fire-resistant rubber hydraulic hose for our high-pressure hose. Although this hose may be expensive, it is very durable. Choosing a cheaper alternative may seem cost-effective in the short term, but it could result in severe damage to your farm, even leading to a fire. Therefore, we strongly advise against using such alternatives.

Length of the Fire Hose:

We provide a fire hose that is 20 meters long, which helps you to reach the fire more effectively. It also provides a better safety factor in case you need to move quickly in the event of an approaching fire in blowing wind conditions.

One or Two Reels?

As an option, we offer a second hose reel to enable two people to work from the same unit. The Sanchin can handle the flow necessary for two operators.

What is the uses of a firefighter?

Firefighters are most effective when used as a precautionary tool. It is ideal to use them when preparing for winter before any potential fires occur. During large fires and windy conditions, it can be difficult for large firefighting teams with fire trucks and helicopters to stop runaway fires. In these conditions, firefighters may find it impossible to stop fires. Therefore, it is more useful if used properly for pre-burns and pre-winter fire break planning.

Firefighters are also used for spraying insecticides, washing equipment, cleaning pig sties or floors, and dipping cattle. Turner Morris recommends using the unit as often as possible to ensure it is in working condition and prevent discovering a problem only when a fire breaks out.

Firefighters can pump chemicals, detergents, insecticides, animal dip, and more.

What is the warranty period on the Turner Morris firefighter?

A 12-month warranty is included with the unit. Over the last 20 years, farmers, forestry divisions, and fire stations all over Southern Africa have used and tested the Midmacor Fire Fighter, making it the most reliable and extensively tested unit available in the market. When purchasing a firefighter, it's important to remember that cheaper doesn't always mean better. Make sure you get reliability and value for money. Often, there's more to a firefighter than meets the eye.