Chiang Mai, Thailand - Nissan Thailand launched a special project entitled 'NISSAN NAVARA PRO-4X FIRE RESCUE TEAM' by supplying two Nissan Navara PRO-4X pickup trucks along with fire extinguishing equipment, including battery-powered blowers to the Fire Hawk Team, aimed at enhancing faster, safer, and efficient forest fire control to safeguard environmental resources and mitigate air pollution problems.
Forest fires have been causing severe impacts on residents, wildlife, and the environment. More than 160 million square meters of land in Thailand have burned annually, and the situation is exacerbated every year. Forest fires commonly occur in Northern Thailand, especially in Chiang Mai. The mountainous province reportedly has the highest number of forest fires outbreaks. As forest fires occur rapidly and widespread, with inadequate firefighters and efficient extinguish tools, the scenario causes the loss of forest resources while smoke haze that pollutes the air affects the residents' health and mental well-being.
Mr. Masao Tsutsumi, Vice President of Marketing and Sales, Nissan Thailand, said that "Nissan Thailand recognizes the importance of forest fire control operation as part of the efforts to protect air quality and the quality of life. Therefore, a special project entitled 'NISSAN NAVARA PRO-4X FIRE RESCUE TEAM' was initiated to support the Fire Hawk Team, a forest fire control and prevention unit under Chiangmai Forest Fire Control and Extension Center, Forest Protection and Fire Control Office. Under the special project, Nissan Thailand supplies two Nissan Navara PRO-4X pickup trucks to facilitate the team to access any hotspots and difficult areas quickly and safely. The high-performance vehicle that comes with a Twin-turbo engine and easy-to-use 4DW system makes any rugged journey possible, whether a steep uphill route or waterways with no road access. Moreover, a 360-degree overhead view enables the team to safely and confidently reach areas where forest fires occur, making Navara powerful assistance for the Fire Hawk Team in every mission. Along with the two vehicles, Nissan Thailand also provides five sets of battery-powered blowers, lighter in weight than gasoline-powered blowers, to improve efficiency, faster and safer fire control operation."
Ms. Chanphen Kasetsin, Director of Chiangmai Forest Fire Control and Extension Center, and Chief of the Fire Hawk Team, said that Chiang Mai is one of the areas that have the highest numbers of forest fire outbreaks. In terms of statistics, more than 161 million square meters of land burned in all parts of Thailand in 2021. Of these figures, 135 million square meters are in the northern part of the country. In Chiang Mai alone, an average of 53 million square meters of land are burned annually. Forest fires in Chiang Mai are account for 39% of all forest fires in the northern provinces. Meanwhile, forest fire season is becoming longer. In recent years, the season expanded from 2-month long to 4-month long per year. This prolonged problem turns into a national environmental issue and affects health and well-being in society. Respiratory problems caused by smoke pollution are becoming more prevalent among Chiang Mai residents. According to the National Cancer Institute data, Chiang Mai has the largest lung cancer cases.
Currently, only 20 officers are working under the Fire Hawk Team. They need to oversee areas under the supervision of the Royal Forest Department, where more than 1,305 forest fire outbreaks occur yearly and each time burns an area of more than 32,000 square meters. Besides, the special force performs other duties, including forest fires monitoring and prevention, coordinating with all related parties on forest fire extinguishing missions and relief services, and educating residents about forest fires.
One of the key challenges faced by the forest fire control unit is the difficult and mountainous terrain. Thus, Nissan Navara's exceptional performance and best off-road abilities make it the right vehicle for these rugged journeys supporting faster fire control operations. The all-new pickup truck comes with exceptionally large space that can transport various equipment to support the Fire Hawk's operations. Other challenges faced by the team are the lack of extinguishing equipment and materials for firebreaks, while the existing equipment has limited efficiency. With the fact that the gasoline-powered blowers, which are currently in use, are weighty and can be operated for up to 2-3 hours per time. This difficulty makes the mission even more challenging, inflexible, and occasionally causes burn injuries among officers. Also, each operation can take as much as 5 hours to 2 days or sometimes cannot be accomplished.
"The support from Nissan Thailand, supplying two Nissan Navara PRO-4X pickup trucks, forest fire extinguishing equipment, and battery-powered blowers, is helpful for the operation of the Fire Hawk Team. Navara's all-powerful features allow the team to access difficult areas and hotspots quickly and safely. Also, additional performance enhancements make the vehicles capable of fire extinguishing operation and firebreak construction. It helps facilitate the team, shorten the operation time, and complete the task safely," added Ms. Chanphen.
The Nissan Navara PRO-4X pickup truck, which Nissan Thailand has chosen as a preferred vehicle to support the forest fire control operations, comes with an all-new 2.3L twin-turbo diesel engine, the state-of-the-art Nissan Intelligent Mobility, a complete range of safety technologies, tuned suspension, and 4WD system that makes any rugged journeys possible. Meanwhile, via NissanConnect, the service supports smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with advanced navigation systems and entertainment applications that keep drivers fully connected via its 8-inch touch screen. The service is integrated with the smartphone application, NissanConnect Service, offering key features such as a find-my-vehicle, vehicle status, emergency assistance, driving history, and many more.
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For more information, please contact: Kamolchanok Charoenjindarat
Nissan Motor (Thailand) Co., Ltd. – Communications Department Tel +66 (0) 2339 3400 Ext. 4112-4114 /a publicist
Khun Arpaporn (A) 089 788 4868
Khun Kosin (Ton) 081 566 2053
Khun Tharantikorn (Ple) 089 884 0219
