Problem-solving vehicles & systems
Published: 01 June, 2007
Bronto Skylift has developed a genuine giant in the fire sector and currently holds the record for the world’s tallest truck-mounted rescue and firefighting vehicle. The 101 m unit is the latest member of the famous HLA range, now covering the working heights from 69 to 101 meters.
Bronto’s Merja Viilola tells IFJ: “Our 101m unit is the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the famous HLA range, now covering the working heights from 69 to 101 metres. The HLA stands for High Level Articulated and represents the ultimate in highrise rescue and firefighting capability. It goes higher and further than any other rescue and firefighting vehicle, making it a unique tool for the industrial and the municipal sectors alike.”
The F101 HLA features a maximum working height of 101m and a maximum working outreach of 28m, from ground level to 65 m above ground level. Its maximum working reach below the ground level is an impressive 7.8m.
Big is better
The safe working load of the F101 HLA (without water discharge) is 400kg and it has a maximum nominal water discharge capacity (with adequate supply pressure) of 3,800 l/min. As a unit it can rotate in a continuous 360° movement and has a transport height of 4m, a length of 17.1m and a typical weight with chassis, G.V.W. (standard specification) of 62 tons.
Bronto’s Merja Viilola takes up the story: “It has a relatively low GVW of only 62 tonnes and is mounted onto a 6-axle commercial truck chassis (with less than 4 meter transport height) instead of a trailer or special crane carrier.
“The F101 HLA provides excellent manoeuvrability and drivability, making swift road transport possible, providing ready access to highrise buildings or industrial structures such as oil tanks.
“If required by the customer it is also possible to mount the unit onto a 5-axle all-wheel drive crane carrier. Setting up and operating is fast and convenient, thanks to features like H-type outriggers with only 8m total jacking width, automatic (all jacks simultaneously) jacking and automatic levelling.”
F101 offers ‘automatic erection’
The F101 HLA also offers full secondary control at the turntable, automatic erection and automatic drive into a transport position. The integrated waterway facilitates immediate and efficient extinguishing, says Merja.
One of the most innovative features of the F 101 HLA is, without doubt, the Bronto Skylift Bronto+ control system, which is geometry based and (unlike any other control system on the market, says the manufacturer) gives exactly identical outreach under all circumstances, regardless of external influences: temperature, dynamic forces, friction, etc. Fault-finding and full remote diagnostic system (Bronto TeleControl) is part of the standard delivery package.
“The Bronto Skylift F 101 HLA gives maximum work efficiency and return on investment. It offers the best height/weight (GVW) ratio on the market and fast movement due to a generously dimensioned hydraulic system. Its high cage load of 400 kg unrestricted at all heights is also a major advantage,” concludes Merja.
Time for reflection with Reflexite
Obligatory on France’s roads and shortly to be introduced innations elsewhere are new high-conspicuity markings for vehicles. In fluorescent yellow and red they represent a new level of high performance micro-prismatic markings for emergency vehicles.
The Reflexite Chevron yellow and red fluorescent tapes are currently used in several European countries - the UK, Sweden, Netherlands and Germany - for police cars, emergencies vehicles and fire & rescue trucks.
Comments Nathalie Grynbaum, European Marketing Manager, Personal Safety for Reflexite Europe: “The microprism’s economical use of surface area delivers the highest standard of reflection. Reflexite Chevron yellow and red fluorescent tapes benefits provides strong day and night-time contrast and performance.
“A monolayer tape, it is flexible, easy-to-apply and to cut, with no edge-sealing varnish. It is strongly resistant to power-washes, abrasion, solvents and to impacts.”
Reflexite Prism technology works by refracting light from its inner surfaces. Light strikes each of the three surfaces of the Reflexite microprism in turn, before returning to its source.
The retro-reflective efficiency is enhanced by the precise arrangement of the microprisms, as seen in a microscopic view. The microprism’s economical use of surface area is said to deliver the ‘highest standard of reflection’.
Turntable ladders from Gimaex
Gimaex manufactures turntable ladder trucks as well as telescopic rescue platforms in various heights. Built by specialists using the most advanced technology, all aerial rescue trucks are made to nationally-required standards, including current DIN/EN standards.
A spokesman told IFJ: “The advantages of the Gimaex turntable ladder are simple. They are compact, safe, fast, dependable - and are not expensive.
“To cope with nightmare urban conditions such as narrow alleys and closely parked cars Gimaex has developed special turntable ladder systems which require minimum space at the operation site for rescuing people and firefighting at heights. The compact design and the large working range of the Gimaex turntable ladders are complemented by fast set-up times.”
The Gimaex turntable ladder trucks are regarded as ‘very flexible’ by users. There is a specially-developed, patented level-adjustment in the ladder set and not in the turret as with other manufacturers. As a consequence, there is practically no turret overlap or negative overhang.
The Variable-Support-Safety System (VAS) means that, depending on the space situation, a fire vehicle can be stabilised between 2.3m (min. stabilisation width) and 4.5m (max. stabilisation width).
“The Gimaex TTL 23/12, for example, needs a width of just 8.4m width to reach a full rescue height of
32m (erecting angle 75°) with a truck arrangement of 90°,” comments a spokesman.
“This means there are no problems operating in areas found in large cities, crowded structures with narrow alleys (such as historic villages and towns) - unlike conventional turntable ladder vehicles,” he points out.
“The Gimaex Turntable Ladder Truck 23/12 is very flexible. Depending on the stabilisation widths, the maximum overhang will be automatically calculated by the computerised control, while the ground pressure monitoring system provides the necessary standing safety.”
The standing design of the cage also provides a safe rescue operation. High-quality steel profiles are welded together to provide buckle-resistance and to keep the standing cage grounded.
“Gimaex also provides telescopic rescue platforms with a 30m rescue height and a weight of 16 tons. These vehicles provide the highest possible safety margins for firefighters as well as practical operating characteristics,” concludes the spokesman.
Plastisol composites at FDIC 2007
Visitors to the 2007 FDIC show flocked to see the latest vehicle from Plastisol. The lightweight and compact Glass-fibrE Reinforced Polyester (GRP) body, built on a Peterbilt chassis by Alexis Fire Equipment, was designed to carry an impressive 2,000 gallons of water.
Plastisol Composites manufactures bodies like these from GRP. This composite material is produced using a ‘unique’ vacuum-injection process developed by Plastisol, in which resin is injected into the glass fibre and, where relevant, into the foam cores. Following curing, the end result is an extremely strong ‘sandwich construction’ which can then be painted in any required colour.
All Plastisol composite cabs, crew cab extensions, and bodies are ‘custom built’ for the various worldwide chassis.
Integral water and/or foam tanks are designed to specific builder or user requirements. Compartments have sweep-out floors and body assemblies feature seamless and weld-free non-metallic construction; as well as being non-conductive and corrosion-free.
A spokesman told IFJ: “Plastisol bodies incorporate ‘C-channel’ design-adjustable shelving and mounting tracks in all compartments as ‘standard’.
“Unique body and compartment designs offer maximum flexibility and useable storage space. New integral electrical wiring raceways and junction boxes provide for quick access and protection of electrical components,” he said.
The Supreme Series
Plastisol’s ‘Supreme Series’ offers a wide range of bodies for firefighting and emergency vehicles. Such vehicles are equipped with convenient roll-up compartment doors and an integral water and/or foam tanks of all sizes.
The Plastisol Composite ‘RM Series’ of rear mount rescue pumpers features slide-in Hale Fire Pump modules. These units are available in lengths of 15’ to 20’ with 750 to 2500 gallon water tanks, on both commercial and custom chassis.
“We offer the ‘lowest center-of-gravity’ and safest apparatus body design as compared to any competitor’s construction,” said a spokesman.
“All types of small, medium, and larger four wheel drive (4x4) rapid response vehicles, used for initial response, wildland and forestry firefighting, and many off-road applications, require a lightweight body and tank. A compact Plastisol composite body is ‘ideal’ for such units, no matter the length, shape or design,” he concluded.
Ziegler HLF 30/40 for Dillingen-Saar
One of Albert Ziegler’s most recent firefighting vehicle deliveries was a HLF 30/40-4+250P to the Dilligen-Saar brigade in Germany.
Company spokesman, Joerg Hitzler, told IFJ: “The HLF 30/40 is built on a MAN 26.350 6X2-2 TGA chassis, with a wheelbase of 4.500 + 1.350mm. It features an engine output of 257 kW/350 HP and weighs 26,000kg.
“The GRP crew cab can hold a driver and 7 other personnel in vehicle which is 10,000 X 2500 X 3600mm in size.”
The HLF 30/40’s pump output is an impressive 3,000 l/min at 10 bar - the turret output is 2,400 l/min at 10 bar. Both are fed by a 4,000-litre water tank and a 400-litre foam tank. Also onboard is a 250kg Minimax powder extinguishing system.Other interesting accessories include an EL 367 roof turret with a radio remote-control facility and ZMS-CAN-BUS features and display control unit.
A CAFS Proportioning Power FoamPro 24 unit, a Rotzler TRO30 rope winch (50kN) and a hydrostatically-driven inbuilt generator (23kVA) with one man reels partially-integrated in the rear, complete the equipment package carried onboard.
