I am most grateful to Lancashire
Fire & Rescue Service for the kind invitation to photograph the Water
Tower/'Stinger' and for the details below. Lancashire FRS has
also provided the video link.
LFRS have partnered with Rosenbauer in the design of
a new concept in a pumping appliance that will have an enhanced aerial
firefighting capability.
In doing so the vehicle had to keep the role of a
pumping appliance, and this has afforded LFRS the opportunity to evaluate
the Rosenbauer AT appliance. The appliance will run as a normal firefighting
pump at Blackburn and Burnley fire stations for 6 months apiece as part
of the trial.
We have taken advantage of Rosenbauer’s High Reach
Extendable Turret (HRET) technology used on aircraft firefighting ‘Panther’
fire engines to incorporate into the vehicle as an aerial firefighting
capability. This includes the Stinger piercing tool as part of the package
and LFRS will carry out trials to evaluate its capability in domestic and
commercial firefighting situations. The Stinger tool was designed to hammer
its way through aircraft fuselages to jet water inside but we intend to
use it to penetrate roofing materials to deliver its water jet within a
building’s roof space for maximum effectiveness in extinguishing a fire
within. Providing maximum versatility, the Stinger tool can be replaced
by a higher-capacity water monitor to jet water onto fires from above as
a conventional Aerial Ladder Platform would do.
The appliance has been taken on a commercial lease
basis, with an option to purchase.
Specification
Manufacturer (Rosenbauer) designation
AT-Stinger
Cab – internal
• Internal space has been designed to accommodate
crew, BA sets and all the other necessary equipment with a view to creating
the safest and most comfortable environment with ease of use and access
a priority.
Steps and glass doors
• The steps fold out when each crew cab door is opened
and lock in position when stood on, providing firefighters with a staircase
to leave the vehicle and to improve ease of access when getting on board.
Before stepping out, the glass doors give crew members full vision of any
possible obstruction outside.
Body stowage
• Ideal ergonomic design maximises access to equipment.
Features include a swing-out door, lay-flat hose cassettes, box-style containers
and a welfare cleaning station. A 5 ½ metre ladder is stowed on
the cab roof.
Pump and Hose Reels
• The pump’s output is 2½ times that provided
by the usual fire appliance, delivering up to 5 ½ thousand litres
per minute when our normal appliances give 2 thousand lpm. Two of our pumping
appliances are needed to provide the capacity to feed an ALP, but the Rosenbauer
has sufficient output to do that on its own. Two hose carry 22mm hose and
combined with the appliance’s more powerful pump they increase maximum
flow from 110 lpm to 200 lpm.
Water Tower
• The hydraulic boom reaches a height of 16.5 metres
and has an outreach of 11.4 metres, the range that our ALPs are mostly
used within. The 3,800 lpm monitor has a jet range of 77 metres.
Stinger piercing tool and Infra-Red camera
• The piercing tool can penetrate cladded panels,
slated/tiled roofs, wood and aluminium panels. When the spike has penetrated
the material a radial-pattern jet or a spray of water can be delivered
at 1000 lpm. The infra-red camera can locate the fire and the piercing
tool can deliver water to cool or extinguish the fire before firefighters
enter the building.
Everything regarding operation of the boom and stinger is controlled from this portable console, which hangs around the operator's neck, thereby giving much more freedom of movment.
