02.12.2011

Platform fails while fighting blaze

The failure of a combined fire fighting platform/pump during a blaze in Glasgow this week has rekindled criticism of the concept.

An investigation has been launched into what caused the platform controls to fail while a fire fighter was fighting a disused warehouse blaze from a height of around 24 metres.

The man was able to climb down the emergency ladder from the platform and was given oxygen after suffering from smoke inhalation.

According to the Fire Brigades Union a second machine also malfunctioned during the blaze, although this has not been confirmed. The affair has reignited the on-going criticism from the union and some others against combined Aerial Platform Pumps (ARPs or CARPS). According to the union they are not fit for purpose. Complaints range from valid comments regarding the ability to easily exceed legal road weights when lockers are fully loaded, to totally unjustified aspersions about their stability compared to dedicated platforms.
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A 28 metre ARP - combined aerial platfrom and pump

Other criticisms includ the issue with this week’s failure - reliability. According to the key manufacturers – Vema, Maguirus and Bronto the reliability issue is more one of perception – given the fact that the product combines three roles – pump, platform and fire ladder into one vehicle, the number of potential failures are increased – one problem in period on each of three vehicles might seem OK – while three breakdowns in the same period on one vehicle seems excessive - even if each of those failures related to the three different parts of the vehicle.

The fact is that the combined units ensure that the right machine arrives for the job and offers greater flexibility to a fire and rescue department – it also inevitably provides a saving for the taxpayer, as few vehicles and crews are required.

Vertikal Comment

The constant ‘carping–on’ against these combined units any time anything goes wrong, suggests that the real driver here is the fact that they require fewer crews than separate stand alone appliances.

This issue though is not limited to the UK, although this is a sector in which we do not specialise at all, we understand that combined products make up only between five and 10 percent of the fire appliance market.

It is hard to image such a long running debate as this in the private sector – either these products are fit or purpose or they’re not.