Firefighting

A Russian company has joined parts of Soviet-era armor to create a monstrous firefighting tank designed to battle conflagrations in armories and arsenals.

Has Shock and Awe ever been used in firefighting? Probably not, as fires aren't really bothered by the psychological effects implicit in Shock and Awe warfare. But if any form of firefighting qualified for that well known military doctrine, it'd be aerial firefighting, as proven by this video of what looks like a Canadair CL-215 (we could be wrong, tell us in the comments) tackling a vehicle fire in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

We've heard all about the wildfires that have been raging in the western US, and the lengths that normal citizens are going to to fight them. Now, Congress is finally stepping in to deliver some aid of its own. The funds, though, could come at the expense of the auto industry.

Not everyone has the stuff it takes to be a firefighter. Take the gent you see holding the hose in the image above: as point-man on the water jet, he strides up to the burning Chevrolet to put out the fire. While performing what appears to be a routine hose-down right next to the sedan, something inside the car explodes with enough force to jolt the cameraman in the nearby apartment.

Amatoya Reconnaissance and Suppression Vehicle - Click above for image gallery