A new $2.5 million aerial pumper has arrived at St Andrews Fire Station, one of 11 state-of-the-art fire trucks being rolled out across NSW.
Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke was joined by Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Acting Commissioner Megan Stiffler to hand over the keys to the specialist Compressed Aerial Pumper (CAP).
"It's important that our firefighters can keep up with the rapidly growing South Western Sydney skyline," Ms Cooke said.
"This state-of-the-art appliance is equipped with a compressed air foam system and 2,000 litre water tank. Its ladder can extend 10 metres further than the old appliance, with a vertical reach of 24.5 metres and load bearing capacity of 330 kilograms.
"Stationing this truck at St Andrews increases the capability of our firefighters during large-scale fires such as those in shopping centres, industrial complexes and multi-storey residential buildings. It will also be used to undertake rescues and other non-fire operations including evacuations."
The appliance is fitted with an intelligence-gathering thermal imaging camera which detects heat signals and transmits images from the scene of an emergency to critical locations like the FRNSW Command Centre.
Acting Commissioner Stiffler said the aerial fleet is being delivered to FRNSW as a result of a $37 million Budget commitment which ensures firefighters have the best tools to do their work and protect the irreplaceable.
"We are always on the lookout for new equipment and technologies to help our crews adapt to the changing needs of the communities they serve," Acting Commissioner Stiffler said.
"The addition of the CAPs to the FRNSW fleet allows firefighters to quickly reach the scenes of multi-storey blazes and extinguish them more efficiently and effectively."
FRNSW now boasts 25 aerial appliances in operation across NSW.
