ET B-Type: Made for operations „Down Under“

Quality, reliability, and safety. These are the attributes the brave men and women of the emergency services value most. At Rosenbauer these are the principles that guide us in our pursuit of customer success.

That´s why we listen. Rosenbauer specially developed the “ET B-Type” Pumping appliance for Australia based on in service testing and end user feedback, all of this on a proven platform with a defined level of flexibility. Considering the stringent OH&S demands of the local market Rosenbauer set out to adapt the superstructure to accommodate the key aspects of the target demographic. Research shows that almost 20 % of injuries may be directly attributed to the lifting and handling of operational equipment. Something that is inevitable in the daily activities of firefighters. This was at the forefront of the “Australian” design.

Reduced body height

The Australian “ET” concept is a traditional design with a low body height, this affords firefighters safe and stable access of all equipment whilst at ground level, reducing the need for steps or unnecessary reach movements which may result in potential injury. The open locker door heights are set at a comfortable 2,100 mm from ground level.

Other proactive safety focused features are Rosenbauer comfort ladder gantries on the roof, necessitating easy ladder removal. Once again this is achieved whilst at ground level, the system offers a smooth operation and reduced friction thanks to the robust and lightweight design. Local operating environment conditions are also factored in, the COMFORT gantry system requires low maintenance and can withstand the harsh Australian climate. Rosenbauer gantries are flexible in their use also, so may be configured for the storage of suction hoses or other low use items. Freeing up more space within the locker rooms for high use critical equipment.

Firefighter wellbeing system

For the 2020 ET pumper demo unit, the addition of the Rosenbauer crew cabin clean air system has been integrated. Australian and New Zealand fire authorities place a strong focus on their firefighter’s health and safety, with recent presumptive legislation being passed that acknowledges the link between firefighting and several specific diseases and affords access to compensation by giving them ‘presumed entitlement’. With this in mind, it is more important than ever to design into our vehicles such systems to prevent or reduce the possibilities of harm to our brave men and women.

New Crew cab from Volvo

New to this demo is the 2020 Volvo FM crew cab chassis. A chassis specifically developed and designed in collaboration with Rosenbauer for use in firefighting applications. Conforming to the requirements of EN1846 and fully crash tested and certified to the latest ECE R29-03 standards the cabin sets new benchmarks in crew safety and driver comfort. The fully automatic transmission ensures greater acceleration and seamless pump drive via factory PTO options. Pump and roll is also possible. Additional space and ambient lighting for the rear crew area along with separate rear crew cab air conditioning is provided. Furthermore, ergonomically optimised cabin access and egress for firefighting operations is achieved. Oversize factory grab rails and non-slip surfaces are all part of the design approach.

Firefighting systems

Everyone in the industry knows the pedigree of Rosenbauer when it comes to pump and foam systems, they offer greater performance and longevity. The Rosenbauer “ET B-Type” for Australia is fitted out with the proven and reliable Rosenbauer NH 45 pump in Bronze with an integrated FIXMIX 2.0 A, a foam system, HP FIXMIX, RM 35 on the roof with wireless remote-control. Additionally, the traditional 2x HP Hose reels holding 90 m hose each are provided in the upper sections of locker rooms G3 and 4.

Tank capacity is rounded out at 1,600 litres, with Automatic Tank Level regulation to optimise system performance and reduce operator workload. There is also a 100 litre Foam tank, in combination with LED External Tank level indicators.

To save additional stowage space on the Superstructure 4 Spare SCBA Cylinders can be stored in the rear wheel arches in specially integrated dust and waterproof tubes with locking doors.

The Australian demo tours

The Rosenbauer “ET B-Type” for Australia will be on tour over the coming months, showcasing the capabilities and quality across all state and federal fire authorities. The demo tour is a collaboration between Rosenbauer Australia and Volvo Group Australia and promises to make a lasting impression on the end users.