Rosenbauer presents a new fire truck for fighting forest fires. It meets both Category 3 of EN 1846-2 for all-terrain fire engines and specific requirements for protecting the vehicle crew, as defined, for example, in the French standard NFS 61-517 and NFS 61-518. These include a thermal self-protection system and a driver's cab equipped with a roll-over cell. With its compact dimensions, low center of gravity, and single tires, the all-wheel-drive vehicle is ideally suited for use in rough terrain.
With the special extinguishing technology onboard, the extinguishing agents carried can be used very economically and efficiently. In addition, the crew does not have to get out to fight the fire.
Robust lightweight construction
The new forest fire vehicle is built on a 2-axle chassis from Renault with a gross vehicle weight of 14 t. The all-wheel-drive can be activated, the 6-cylinder diesel engine (Euro-6) has an output of 206 kW (280 PS). With a length of 6,900 mm and a wheelbase of 3,350 mm, the vehicle is extremely compact and maneuverable, the large ground clearance and a tipping angle of 25 ° increase its off-road capability.
The fire-fighting structure consists of two parts, a tank module made of polypropylene and a pump room module
The fire-fighting structure consists of two parts, a tank module made of polypropylene and a pump room module behind it made of a self-supporting sheet aluminum/profile construction.
Due to the flexible and at the same time high-strength construction, optimal load distribution and lateral stability for operation under off-road conditions is achieved, and a high loading capacity is achieved through the consistent processing of lightweight construction materials.
Water capacity
The vehicle's water tank holds 3,500 l (including 500 l for the self-protection systems), the separate foam tank is 100 l.
The additional equipment required for forest fires (fire paddles, extinguisher backpacks, backpack syringes, etc.) is housed in three spacious equipment rooms with dust-proof roller shutter locks. Two are located on the sides of the vehicle, another is installed across the entire width in the rear. The built-in pump, foam proportioning system, and quick attack reel are also accessible via this.
Extinguishing technology for fighting forest fires
The extinguishing water can be driven deep into the forest floor and can therefore also be extinguished efficiently
The extinguishing technology of the new forest fire vehicle consists of the combined normal/high-pressure pump NH25 and the foam pressure proportioning system RFC Admix Variomatic. The pump has an output of up to 2,500 l / min at 10 bar (FPN 10-2000) and up to 400 l / min at 40 bar (FPH 40-250).
In a high-pressure operation, the water supply onboard can be used very sparingly, because the fine atomization causes more water to evaporate than under normal pressure and a high extinguishing effect is achieved. In addition, due to the kinetic energy, the extinguishing water can be driven deep into the forest floor and can therefore also be extinguished efficiently.
Achieving extinguishing effect
The RFC Admix Variomatic also produces wetting agents, light, medium and heavy foam, the proportioning rate is continuously adjustable between 0.1% and 6%. With the smallest admixture, the surface tension of the extinguishing water is reduced to such an extent that it can penetrate deep into the fire and an excellent extinguishing effect can be achieved with minimal water consumption.
At higher admixing rates, the suffocating effect of extinguishing foam is used. The foam compound is injected directly into the pressure outlets, which means that the water pump remains free of foam compound and does not have to be rinsed after each use.
In addition, water can be applied to one outlet and another network water or foam at the same time, or several injection points can be operated with different admixing rates.
Safety for the crew
A roll-over cell made of high-strength steel is integrated into the cabin structure to protect the crew in all cases
A system of spray nozzles protects both the crew cabin and the vehicle substructure. The water for this comes from a secured tank segment and is pumped via its own, electrically driven pump. If the vehicle is caught in a fire during a forest fire, this system allows the crew to drive over a burning seam of fire and to get to safety.
Driving safety in the field is increased by the Rosenbauer driver warning system DWD. This measures the vehicle inclination as well as the axial lateral and longitudinal forces and reports critical values optically and acoustically to the driver before the vehicle threatens to tip over. In addition, a roll-over cell made of high-strength steel is integrated into the cabin structure to protect the crew in all cases.
Equipped to fight against forest fires
The vehicle is also equipped with a light package consisting of high-performance LEDs and a front cable winch with a pulling force of 5,400 kg. Optionally, a fresh air system can be installed, which generates an overpressure in the cabin to prevent the penetration of fire gases. Separate protection devices for the battery and electrical equipment are also available.
The vehicle is built in the Rosenbauer Forest Fire Competence Center Linares in Spain and in particular, meets the technical and tactical requirements of French, Spanish, and Portuguese fire services. It combines everything that is required for an efficient and safe fight against forest fires.
