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NATIONAL FORESTS 
and Regional Headquarters 
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EQUIPMENT DEVELOPMENT. In its day-to-day field activities the Forest 
Service uses many types of automotive and mechanical equipment. Most of 
this consists of conventional types and models, available in the commercial 
market. However, the Forest Service has many requirements for which no 
suitable equipment has yet been developed. Responsibility for meeting the 
special needs falls on the mechanical engineers who are assigned to equipment 
development work. These men are normally stationed at the Forest Service 
Equipment Development and Testing Centers in Arcadia, Calif., and Missoula, 
Mont. 
When the need for a special type of equipment is discovered, and it appears 
likely that a suitable unit can be provided, an equipment development project 
is initiated, approved, and assigned to one of the development and testing 
centers. There the engineers first study the problem in relation to all the 
apparent practical solutions. Usually they first consider the modification of, 
or the design of special attachments for, standard commercial units. When 
modifications or attachments are found impractical, completely new devices 
are designed, built, and tested. 
Many of the efforts of these engineers have been most useful. For example, 
devices for the release of fire-retardant chemicals, insecticides, and herbicides 
from aircraft have been developed and put into use. Much of the fire control 
equipment now used by the Forest Service was built in accordance with design 
features originated by the equipment development engineers. Many other 
interesting projects such as “brush busters,’’ contour plows, and various types 
of helicopter hardware have been developed successtully. 
Wy NATIONAL FORESTS 
a REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS 
19 
