I would start with a mobile that runs off 12 VDC. Get a 12V power supply (3 or 10 amps from Radio Shack) to run at home. You can run from a cigarette lighter plug in the car. This approach makes your equipment useful in base station, mobile or emergency situations. My wife and I carry 2-meter mobiles that work at 5W/45W, use a cigarette lighter power plug and a mag-mount antenna. We can jump into another emergency vehicle in a flash. For stationary use on 2-meters, a J-pole provides some extra gain. I keep a discone at the house...low SWR from 25 MHz to 1.3 GHz with a single antenna/coax. It will handle 200 watts of transmit power. Flexibility in equipment and discipline/skill in operation makes a difference.
A laptop with a packet TNC is a highly recommended tool if you are supporting a fire camp. You can make a detailed list of materials and transmit it error free. The firefighters depend on this kind of logistics when their service radios fail to do the job in a big fire.