| One of ROSENBAUER's mobile stair rescue vehicles at Berlin Airport |
In recent months, ROSENBAUER has equipped both Munich and Berlin Airport with new, mobile rescue stair vehicles.
The vehicles involved represent a special, fire-fighting technology development for the rapid evacuation of aircraft passengers. Moreover, in the other direction, the staircases offer the emergency services (fire, rescue and medical personnel) safe access to the interior of the plane. The vehicles are based on original Mercedes-Benz and MAN chassis.
Suitable for all standard types of aircraft
The new ROSENBAUER rescue stair vehicles are suitable for all currently standard types of aircraft. An operational height of up to 8.30 m can be reached via the main stairs. This is the level of the emergency exits of the A380 and the Boeing 747, which at present are the world's largest passenger aircraft.
Upper rescue platform
With a width of 3,000 mm, a depth of 2,800 mm and a load-bearing capacity of 320 kg/m2, the upper rescue platform offers sufficient security for the evacuation of the aircraft's passengers and furnishes the rescue services safe and rapid access to the cabin.
The high-performance hydraulics of the vehicles ensures that the main stairs can be completely run out from the storage position to their maximum height in approximately 70 seconds, which means that they are ready for operation in minimum time. Furthermore, a Level Control System (LCS) permits the pre-programming of the door heights of differing types of aircraft, thus allowing automatic docking in an emergency.
A second rescue platform at the front, which can be mounted on the original superstructure of the vehicle, which was used for winter road services, covers heights between one and three meters.
Top safety standards
| The Munich model: each stair rescue vehicle is equipped with a minimum range of quick attack features |
In order to provide a flush connection with the rump of the aircraft, the rescue stair vehicle comes to a halt at a distance of roughly 700-800 mm from the plane. The telescopic section (max. 1,000 mm) under the rescue platform then closes the remaining gap between the aircraft and the staircase in a horizontal direction and thus adapts to the contour of the fuselage with a maximum of 15° (upper platform). The lower platform can compensate for up to 10°. Distance sensors and a video camera assist this docking procedure.
Closed sidewalls and a handrail mounted above the lateral housings, enhance the feeling of security during the descent from the plane. A folding ramp at the end of the main stairs ensures a barrier-free passage to ground level and the bright, glare-free lighting also promotes safety. All the functions of the rescue device can be operated by just one person from the vehicle cab, or from the control panels on both rescue platforms.
Suitable for a range of chassis
The ROSENBAUER rescue staircase can be manufactured on chassis from Mercedes-Benz and MAN. As a result of the EURO 4 and EURO 5 exhaust gas standards, in future the chassis will be far heavier and therefore the staircases will be produced in a 3-axle version (6x6, 6x4). This will provide further advantages, as sufficient weight reserves will be available for the creation of special, individual solutions involving the transport of extinguishing agents and a pump, which will increase the operational scope of the rescue staircases.
Like all ROSENBAUER rescue stair vehicles, the Munich and Berlin vehicles dispose over a minimum range of quick attack features such as telescopic water lines with a ROSENBAUR reel complete with electrical rewind and a NEPIRO branch pipe on the platform, as well as firefighting equipment such as the Fanergy fan, a generator and couplings, etc., which is stowed in storage compartments.