New $10m aerial fire appliances to protect NSW - Alexandria

Published: 11 Apr 2023 01:08pm

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) is adding four high-tech, state-of-the-art aerial platform appliances to its fleet, further bolstering its emergency response capability across Sydney and the Central Coast.

The ladder pumper appliances, each valued at $2.5m, feature an advanced, environmentally-friendly Compressed Air Foam System (CAFS) that uses a special mix of foam and water to fight fires, promoting water conservation in the process.

The first of four new CAFS Aerial Platforms (CAPs) coming on-line has been assigned to the Huntingwood Fire Station after recent familiarisation sessions at FRNSW’s Alexandria Training facility.

Additional aerial platforms are earmarked for fire stations at Miranda, Hornsby and the Central Coast, adding an additional layer of protection for those areas.

CAPs are already stationed at Mayfield West in Newcastle and Revesby and St Andrews in Sydney.

The vehicles have three tanks, holding 1650 litres of water and 250 litres of foam in total, and has the capacity to pump at 6000 litres a minute, making it the most powerful pump on any Fire and Rescue appliance, allowing FRNSW to extinguish fires faster.

The platform’s ladder and enclosed cage can extend 24-metres in height, have a lateral reach of 11 metres and can lower three metres below the appliance, allowing firefighters to fight blazes or carry out rescues at various heights and rise over factory roofs to get to the seats of fires.

Based in Sydney’s west, the appliance is ready to respond to emergencies involving high-rise buildings, large commercial premises or industrial complexes as required.

FRNSW is investing $38m in a 15-vehicle aerial fleet that includes four large, 45m ‘Bronto’ ladder platforms already protecting Wollongong, Newcastle, Crows Nest and Parramatta.

FRNSW Commissioner Paul Baxter said the new aerial appliances offer communities greater peace of mind.

“Growing populations mean our homes and businesses are reaching skyward and it’s essential that our fleet is equipped for high-rise fire risks,” Commissioner Baxter said.

“We have also invested in some of the most advanced firefighting technology available on the market. We’re strategically placing our aerial units where they’ll be needed most in the years to come.

“These aerial platforms have high volume pumping capacity, can extend higher and feature remote control technology allowing safer operation for our people in emergency environments.

“The enhanced FRNSW fleet helps us continue to be ‘Prepared for Anything’.”

(Media Note: Training footage of the Huntingwood CAP and other new aerial appliances and related grabs can be obtained at: https://vimeo.com/799360891/e2bd77750f [external link]