'BIG DADDY' T2 Tactical Water Tender
Few wildland fire units can self-deploy a SoftTrack Skidgen across three states at highway speeds and immediately go to work as a Type 2 Water Tender. Big Daddy does both.
Specifications
- NWCG resource type
- Type 2
- Chassis
- Mack CH613 Vocational Suspension
- Engine
- 12.0L L6 350HP Mack DIESEL
- Tank capacity
- 2500 gallon, flat top, low profile, low center of gravity custom tank.
- Pump
- Darley 2-1/2 AGE 24K Diesel-Powered Pump, Roper PTO Postive Displacement Hi Vol/Pressure Pump, 24HP High Pressure Washer Pump, 16HP Honda Draft Pump, 6HP Portable DraftPump
- Year acquired
- 1999
- Status
- Active
"Big Daddy" is a Mack CH613 configured as a Type 2 Tactical Water Tender with integrated heavy-haul capability. Big Daddy transported both Soft Tracks, simultaneously, to Hurricane Katrina.
Allowing us to transport our Soft Track Skidgines directly to the incident while remaining fully mission-capable on arrival.
This dual-role configuration is uncommon in the wildland fire service. Most tenders just haul water, while heavy-haul tractors typically arrive at an incident as transport assets only.
Big Daddy eliminates that separation: we can self-deploy specialty equipment over long distances at highway speeds, then immediately enter service as a Type 2 Tender for structure protection, mop-up, or tactical water support.
On extended attack and project fires, the platform also functions effectively as a tactical water tender—shuttling water to remote drafting points, supporting Wildland engines operating beyond hydrant range, and providing mobile resupply for hand crews and dozer operations. The combination of highway-speed mobility, substantial onboard water capacity, and heavy-haul capability makes Big Daddy particularly well-suited to initial attack mobilization across the multi-state response areas typical of western wildland operations.