Fire service cranes are a rare sight on the streets since mobile cranes usually represent a huge investment. The professional fire brigade in Darmstadt, however, has found a cost-effective solution that meets its requirements perfectly: Together with Tadano, the rescue services have converted a used ATF 70G-4.
A standard fire service fleet usually includes command vehicles, fire engines, equipment vehicles and aerial rescue vehicles, which cover most fire-fighting and rescue operations. When missions become more specialised, however, such as recovering larger vehicles or performing rescue operations at great heights, a standard fleet like this can reach its limits. This is why fire services rely on all-terrain cranes to ensure they are well equipped for these operations and ready to save lives.
Economic alternative sought
When the time came for Darmstadtâs professional fire brigade to retire its trusty fire service crane, it was clear that they would have to get creative in the procurement process. Volker Reibold, Head of Technology at Darmstadt fire service, explains the situation at the time: âWe just didnât have the budget for a new crane so it had to be a second-hand one. But the problem there is that there is no second-hand market for fire service cranes. That left us to find a standard crane in line with our requirements and budget and retrofit it.â In the course of the search, Reibold and his team looked at cranes from various manufacturers. It quickly became clear that a Tadano would be on the shortlist. âWe were able to view an ATF 70G-4 at a crane rental company and found that this crane was just what we were looking for. Itâs easy to operate, easy to maintain and exceptionally reliable thanks to the dual-engine concept,â enthuses Reibold.
Simple operation can save lives
Intuitive operation of the crane is particularly essential when it comes to performing fire service missions. This is where the Tadano crane, with its clear user guidance and analogue toggle switches, really comes into its own. According to Reibold, âwithout exaggerating too much, we didnât want a crane that needed some kind of degree just to be able to operate it. An overloaded cockpit with dozens of displays wouldnât be much use to us at all. The Tadano cab is very tidy, and every switch is clearly labelled, which makes life much easier for our drivers and operators.â
After all, every second counts in an emergency, so every move has to be perfect. The assistance systems in the 70 do the rest to support the firefighters in their work. The craneâs lift adjuster, for example, helps to prevent loads from swinging while being lifted.
From standard vehicle to special resource
After a lengthy tendering process that extended across Europe, the Darmstadt fire service decided in favour of the bid from Tadano Faun GmbH from Lauf an der Pegnitz, which included a nearly new 70 with a comprehensive warranty and service package. Besides the economic appeal of the bid, the deciding factor came down to the support on offer.
Once the crane had been handed over, the Darmstadt fire service set about converting the ATF 70G-4 into a fire service crane with Tadano providing active support. Changes included retrofitting the signalling systems, adapting the all-round lighting of the crane to meet fire service requirements, installing additional camera systems and loading boxes, and applying bespoke vehicle decals. This left the rescue forces optimally equipped to take on a wide range of special operations.
