Variable use turntable ladder: the new L32A-XS 3.0 of the Dresden fire department

Fire fighting operations, rescue operations, work operations: the new L32A-XS 3.0 turntable ladder of the Dresden fire department is equipped for a wide variety of uses.

Compact dimensions, very good maneuverability, and high performance - these have been the hallmarks of Rosenbauer XS turntable ladders since their launch several years ago. The design of the turntable ladders with a cage boom has been continuously developed by Rosenbauer. In the current 3.0 variant, the vehicle boasts sophisticated technology, many application possibilities, simple operation, and extremely high safety standards.

The L32A-XS 3.0 of the Dresen fire department is mounted on a Scania chassis with an Euro VI engine and 280 hp. An aluminum safety platform with integrated lighting, six equipment compartments, and two additional equipment compartments are mounted on this chassis. At the heart of every turntable ladder is, of course, the ladder itself: in this case, it consists of five parts including a cage boom, it is controlled by a CAN-bus system, and it is equipped with a 3D load measurement system, so that all loads and forces acting on the ladder can be visualized at all times. The maximum working height is 32 meters, and the cage floor height is 30.3 meters when fully extended.

Thanks to its removable multifunctional column, four entry points, and stretcher attachment, the HR-500-MF rescue cage is the ideal tool for rescue operations of all kinds. For firefighting from the cage, it is also equipped with an RM8 water turret with a capacity of up to 2,000 l/min. And thanks to the power supply (230 V / 400 V), a wide range of electrical equipment can be used in the rescue cage. For work or rescue operations, the base of the ladder is equipped with a lifting eye with a lifting capacity of up to four tons, while the ladder tip can lift and move a load of 600 kg.

The tiltable cage boom of the L32A-XS 3.0 extends the range of applications of the turntable ladder enormously. For example, the rescue cage can also be perfectly positioned on the side of a roof ridge facing away from the road, if necessary. And underfloor deployment, where the rescue cage is brought below the level of the vehicle, is also possible.

In keeping with Rosenbauer's tradition, the L32A-XS 3.0 was designed and equipped to make operation simple, intuitive, and safe. The M500 main control station is roofed and equipped with a tiltable back rest to provide the operator with good visibility and corresponding comfort during longer deployments. In addition, there are various assistance systems that make operation much easier: the automatic return of the ladder to the head rest, the automatic retrieval function (ARF), the target memory system (TMS), which enables the same rescue cage position to be approached automatically several times, or the vertical rescue system (VRS), which makes vertical movements of the ladder much easier, e.g., when raising the rescue cage on a facade and bringing it into position. The entire lighting of the L32A-XS 3.0 is designed with LED technology and ensures very good visibility and thus more safety when deploying in the dark. In addition, there are two high-intensity LED floodlights on the rescue cage, which can be used to perfectly illuminate the scene.

In summary: the L32A-XS 3.0 is an extremely well-equipped and versatile vehicle and an indispensable part of the Dresden fire department's fleet thanks to its wide range of applications.