Wellington Airport's new fire engines

Parts filmed by Sam James, others Wellington Airport promo video. After two and a half years of planning and development, $2.8M capital investment and an 18,000km voyage from Austria, Wellington Airport has officially welcomed two new Rosenbauer CA5 Panthers into their Fire Services fleet. The new panthers will replace two of the airport's current trucks, which have in operation for twenty years. "From rear axle steering to get into tight spaces unique to our apron, to our logo decals, the design and configuration of the new vehicles are custom made specifically for Wellington Airport," says Daniel Debono, Wellington Airport Airfield Manager. "When dealing with fire, time saves lives. We wanted to ensure we had the best equipment available to respond as quickly as possible in emergency situations," said Mr. Debono. The fire trucks enable just that, with external push button start, automatic click to fasten seats, and faster more powerful 690HP engines, the vehicles are the very latest in firefighting technology. Along with allowing fire personnel to get to an emergency faster, the trucks each hold 9,500 litres of water and 1,500 litres of foam. This is a 34% increase in capacity from the current fleet. "Ultimately, firefighting is all about getting as much firefighting agent on to a fire in the quickest time possible. We can now put 19,000 litres of water and 3,000 litres of foam on a fire in less than two minutes," said Vinnie Sharp, Wellington Airport Fire Crew Chief. The panthers have two water turrets and a foam cannon that can be used simultaneously for faster and extensive fire coverage. The airport's old trucks turrets had a range of 60 metres, the new panther's roof turrets have a range of 85m, that's just a few metres shy of a football field. A training specialist from Rosenbauer Austria will be training the fire service personnel over the next few weeks before they come into commission in March. "Wellington Airport has an excellent safety record and this $2.8m investment continues to ensure our aeronautical operations are safe, efficient and world class for all Wellington travellers," says Ayolt Wiertsema, General Manager Operations. All 24 of the airport's fire service personnel are trained in a range of emergency response techniques and are qualified to handle a variety of situations including firefighting, marine rescue, medical emergencies and ensuring business continuity. Key facts on the Panther CA5 trucks: • 0-80 km/h in 30 seconds • 16.1L Volvo engine delivering 690HP • The roof mounted turret has a range of 85m (the current vehicles only do 60m) • The bumper mounted turret has a range of 65m (current vehicles 34 -- 42m) • 36 tonne • Maximum speed 118 km/h • Roof mounted turret has a range of 85m • Bumper mounted turret has a range of 65m • Push button start • Built in thermal imaging equipment • Push button controls • Computerised CAN-BUS system with data link for vehicle tracking and monitoring • Increased overall water capacity by 34%