Cambridgeshire Fire And Rescue Service Announces That Brand New Fire Engines Will Be Rolled Out To Stations

Residents across the county will soon be seeing brand new fire engines responding to emergencies as they are rolled out to stations.

The first two fire engines, of the seven being introduced, have been rolled out to crews at St Neots and Dogsthorpe fire stations, where they are already in use. Over the coming weeks, the remaining five will be delivered to crews at Cambridge, Ely, Huntingdon, Stanground and Wisbech.

Electrical operational equipment

Each fire engine is a Scania 280 carrying an increased capacity of 2,200 liters of water, a Godiva 30/10 e pump and new 22 millimeter hose reels with adjustable flow branches allowing 125 and 230 liters per minute of water.

They will also utilize the latest equipment, including fitted auxiliary batteries to accommodate extra support for electrical operational equipment, plus new battery powered cutting equipment. The pump operator screens are now larger and fitted onto the rear doors of the vehicle.

Navigating tight spaces

Other new features include a fitted cool box and water coolers, helping firefighters remain hydrated

Other new features include a fitted cool box and water coolers, helping firefighters remain hydrated at incidents while also reducing the amount of plastic the Service uses. Locker rails are fitted flush within the body of the vehicle, reducing its overall width to help navigate tight spaces.

Area Commander - Wayne Swales said: “We want to ensure we provide our firefighters with the best possible equipment to be able to respond to emergency calls and protect their local community effectively. This does mean we need to continually invest in equipment and these new fire engines are an exciting addition to the county’s fleet.”

Representing significant investment

Wayne Swales adds, “We’ve taken the chance to change and update how we configure and provide equipment on our fire engines. The crews at Dogsthorpe and St Neots worked alongside our Fleet and Equipment team, Procurement team, Operational Support Group and other departments to configure them to get the best product for our needs.”

Wayne Swales concludes, “Not only do these vehicles represent a significant investment in our operational equipment, they are also more environmentally friendly, demonstrating our commitment to reducing our impact on the environment. These new vehicles will allow us to use bio-fuel, which we are looking to trial in Peterborough later in the year.”