On May 18, 2011, the U.S. Embassy through the Export Control and Border Security programs section, donated 11 firefighting adapted Kawasaki Mule vehicles. The ceremony was attended by U.S. Charge D’Affaires Ambassador E. Anthony Wayne (rumored to be the next ambassador to Mexico), Director General of Afghan Customs Bismellah Kammawie, and Head of Kabul Customs Safiullah Moshfiq. Also in attendance was the DHS Attache Raul Ortiz. During the ceremony, guests were able to witness a fire fighting demonstration by U.S. fire fighting airmen and two Afghan Warehouse officers who are in training to fight fires using the compact firefighting vehicles.
I'm not sure on the specs of these firefighting mules. If it uses water, there is water in Kabul, right? And of course, if these mules have a foam system, that somebody has looked into the availability of the foam locally? Just wondering. After all, the United States did build a power plant over there, then discovered that there wasn't anyone trained to run it, and there wasn't money to purchase fuel. So we trained folks to run it, then bought fuel for good measure. Which was very sweet of us because we did not want the rather expensive power plant to go to waste.
And not to be intentionally snarky or anything, but while I'm writing this, I remember that my county still has firefighting vehicles; its the firefighters that have been let go in the never-ending budget battles. In some places, the police force and firefighters are supposed to cross-train and work as one team. How odd is that? Anyway, I'm just thinking how long before my local government gets to give away its firefighting vehicles -- I mean, it's not like these trucks will run on its own, right?
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