Rosenbauer hands over the last vehicles of the current AT generation to the Vienna Professional Fire Department

At the end of September, Rosenbauer handed over six fire trucks to the Vienna Professional Fire Department. A total of 76 vehicles have been put into service by the Vienna Professional Fire Department since 2009, replacing a large part of its fleet of group vehicles. While in the past the emphasis was on rescue extinguishing vehicles, with the current generation the Fire Department relies on two types of vehicles: rescue fire assistance vehicles (HLF) and tank firefighting vehicles (TLF), both customized for the operational needs in the big city.

The Vienna City fire truck

The HLF and TLF were developed in close cooperation between the Vienna Fire Department and Rosenbauer Österreich. They meet the respective standard but are anything but ‘off-the-shelf products’. For example, the vehicles are built on chassis with a ‘narrow width’ (less than 2,400mm) to make it easier for them to drive through narrow alleys or past parked cars in city traffic and to give firefighters more space to work on scene. The concept – still relatively new at the time – has since found many imitators at home and abroad and is used not least in the RT, Rosenbauer’s all-electric battery-powered fire truck.

The project partners also broke new ground with the installation of the firefighting pump in the HLF. It is not located in the rear as usual but in the middle of the vehicle (Midship), which made it possible to create more space for the load in the all-rounder. Another special feature (for city fire trucks) is the all-wheel-drive chassis because the Vienna Fire Department also has to get to operational sites in its 415km² coverage area that are only accessible via unpaved access roads. And the pump-and-roll operation in the TLF is also rather unusual for a municipal fire truck, but it expands its application options, for example by making it usable as a vegetation firefighting vehicle. The air-suspension rear axle (leaf spring at the front) is also an advantage here, as it allows the vehicle to be lifted, for example, to drive over obstacles more easily and also to increase driving safety.

High-quality firefighting equipment

Both the HLF and TLF have the high-quality DIGIMATIC 22 foam proportioning system on board, with which very small quantities of foam compound can be added, for example for wetting agent operation. The 16 tank firefighting vehicles are also equipped with the FIXMIX proportioning system for generating large quantities of foam and with a roof-mounted turret that can be remotely controlled from the cab and which can be used to apply up to 1,500 litres of extinguishing agent per minute and achieve throwing ranges of over 50m. The HLFs are fitted with rapid attack systems. The pressure outlets are uniformly located in the rear of both vehicle types, in full-height locker 5 and under the front bumper, which is also one of the many special solutions.

The equipment in the two vehicle types is almost identical, with a power generator, hydraulic rescue kit, high-performance fan, submersible pump, tools (chain saw, angle grinder, etc.) and accessories. The pump capacities and tank capacities, however, are different: while an N35 firefighting pump with a capacity of up to 3,500 l/min at 10 bar (FPN 10-3000) is installed in the TLF, the HLF is equipped with an N10 according to FPN 10-1,500. The tank firefighting vehicle has 2,400 litres of water and 230 litres of foam compound on board, the rescue fire assistance vehicle 1,200 litres of water and 100 litres of foam compound. Any other water needed for firefighting comes from the hydrant network, which is very well developed in Vienna.

Two strong partners

Rosenbauer has been cooperating with the Vienna Professional Fire Department for decades and has carried out numerous joint projects in the vehicle sector. The Fire Department attaches great importance to keeping its vehicle fleet up to date with the latest technology and to being able to operate the different types of vehicles in the same way, if possible. This is the case with the 60 rescue fire assistance vehicles and 16 tank firefighting vehicles that make up the current firefighting fleet of the Vienna Fire Department. They all have an identical AT superstructure with integrated crew cab and revolving steps, the same intuitive operation and are also largely identically loaded. Moreover, they impressively demonstrate what happens when two strong partners work together, namely innovative, tailor-made and robust firefighting vehicles that can be relied on every day, even in tough urban operations.