The NSW Government is investing in new firefighting appliances to deal with emergencies in Sydney’s growing inner suburbs, with the latest models making rescues faster and safer for firefighters and the communities they serve.
Reaching up to 32-metres high, carrying up to 300kg in personnel and materials, and featuring a reticulated cage or bucket, the Rosenbauer appliances are a sophisticated replacement of existing ladders stationed at Darlinghurst and Woollahra Fire Stations.
An in-built Target Memory System (TMS) enables the ladders to be automatically lowered or raised to previous co-ordinates, while high-definition thermal imaging capability means real-time intelligence of the rescue site can be relayed back to FRNSW command centres.
FRNSW’s aerial platforms have been strategically placed at fire stations throughout Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, and key regional centres.
The Rosenbauer aerial rescue units are part of the NSW Government’s 2024/5 investment in FRNSW’s $18.6m Fleet Replacement Program and will help keep residents in Sydney’s growing suburbs safe.
Suburbs in Sydney’s south and southwest will also benefit from this year’s Fleet Replacement Program, with new pumper appliances to be stationed at Mascot and Rosemeadow Fire Station.
The $950,000 Scania P320 Class 3 Pumpers use a Compressed Air Foam System that allows for reduced water usage and more efficient foam disposal to reduce run-off when extinguishing fires.
The pumper based at Mascot will support existing fire services at Sydney Airport in case of major emergencies.
These assets are among 20 new appliances being rolled out this financial year, with trucks already handed over to the Penrith, Smithfield, St Marys and Huntingwood stations as well as the opening of a new fire station at Busby.
The Minns Labor Government has also funded another station and three trucks for Badgerys Creek, to help protect new homes and businesses in Sydney’s growing southwest, as well as the new Western Sydney airport.
Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:
“As Sydney grows, so too does the need for modern fire protection. The NSW Government is replacing fire appliances reaching their shelf life in NSW, with the latest technology.
“As the skylines of our major cities change, the FRNSW fleet is being adapted to deal with potential high-rise emergencies to keep our communities safe.
“The new turntable ladders are a key component of FRNSW’s response to urban high-rise fires and rescues, which are a challenge as housing density increases.”
FRNSW Deputy Commissioner – Strategic Capability Megan Stiffler said:
“Not only can they reach the upper levels of our tallest apartment towers, these trucks can extend over large factory roofs to reach the seats of fires and down embankments to get to vehicles that have run off the road.
“They put us in terrific stead to deal with the ‘at height’ emergencies of the future.”
“Our Fleet Replacement Program doesn’t replace ‘like for like,’ it introduces better, modern and purpose-built fire engines that will be ‘Prepared for Anything’ well into the future,” Deputy Commissioner Stiffler said.
