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Staffordshire Fire and Rescue have invested in two new state-of-the art aerial ladder platform (ALP) vehicles, worth a total of £1.3 million, to help keep firefighters safe and tackle difficult to reach fires.
The ALPs, will be used from February next year and are designed to apply water to fires from above and will also help with rescues from taller buildings and difficult to reach locations and provide observation platforms.
The new ALPs will replace the existing vehicles which have been used by the service for just under 20 years.
They will extend to 32 metres and the cages can accommodate wheelchairs and five firefighters at any one time, rather than three on previous vehicles.
Firefighters have been training with the new vehicles since their arrival including on taller buildings.
Chief Fire Officer, Rob Barber, said: “I am delighted that we have invested in this important equipment, which is part of the programme to update the service’s fleet with vehicles incorporating the latest technology.
“To maintain a modern fire and rescue service, it is important that we provide fit-for-purpose, 21st century operational equipment to support our firefighters in the delivery of excellent services to the communities we serve.”
Station Manager Matthew Melland, said: “The new ALP cage and ladder can extend further away from the vehicle than our older fleet which means greater flexibility at incidents to perform rescues and operational tasks.
“New technology will also allow joint-working with our rope rescue team and enable operational crews to carry out more complex rescues at height and in confined spaces.”
Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime Ben Adams said: “These new aerial ladder platforms are a significant investment in the future of our Fire & Rescue Service, and will help to ensure the safety of our firefighters and the communities of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.”
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