KEEPING IT SAFE Robert Tutterow
The number of apparatus on display at Interschutz this year was lower than in previous years. Nonetheless, there was a lot of new technology, designs, and product improvements on display.
The basic design of the European apparatus has not changed. For example, there is no hosebed, all compartment doors are roll-up, and the compartments are highly organized. The cabs sit high and entrance/egress is difficult, they are all painted red, and they all have yellow reflective striping. There were no U.S. apparatus on display. Not surprising was the abundance of electronics prevalent at all the pump panels, which are located at the rear of the apparatus.
By far, Rosenbauer had the largest presence of all the apparatus manufacturers. There were four electric-powered vehicles, including an ARFF unit and an aerial platform (photos 1 and 2). All were on a Volvo chassis. Some of the units had very spacious cabs and could be lowered while parked. This is a very safe design, especially when exiting the cab with personal protective equipment donned (photo 3).
1 Rosenbauer had several electric-powered apparatus on display including an aerial. (Photos by author.)
2 Many of the trucks in the Rosenbauer booth were based on Volvo chassis.
3 Several trucks featured apparatus that could be lowered to create safer cab ingress and egress.
Another impressive display from Rosenbauer was a detached platform, which had all the platform accessories available that can be mounted on the platform, including a wheelchair and a two-person stokes basket (photo 4). All European aerial devices have the platform design; however, they do not all have piped waterways. The platform design is most impressive to this baby boomer, as many of us would much prefer to be rescued onto a platform rather than navigate down a “strai