12.12.2018

JCB Teletruk for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue

UK based Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service has taken delivery of a 4.4 metre/3,500kg JCB 35 Wastemaster Teletruk industrial type telehandler.

The 35 can take 2,400kg out to a forward reach of two metres. It is fitted with puncture proof tyres with 4x4 drive and was purchased through JCB dealer Gunn JCB.

It will be deployed on waste and rural fires to move bailed and bulky items to support improved firefighting efforts, reduce the risk of fire spread, improve firefighter and public safety and limit damage to the environment. It will also be used at fire scenes during the clean up phase, to remove smouldering debris and allow fire crews to extinguish deep seated fires. On the first job alone it is said to have saved around 360 man hours equating to a potential saving of almost £25,000.
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The Teletruk being deployed on a waste fire

The machine will be transported to the scene of an emergency on a standard two axle trailer with an hydraulic elevating skid plate developed by JCB and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue for fast easy loading.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Newcastle station commander Mark Walchester said: “Before we had the Teletruk, firefighters had to use shovels to move materials to expose the base of the fire when ‘dampening down’. This process not only put personnel at unnecessary risk, but delayed the time it took to fully put out a blaze and resulted in greater use of water than was often needed.”

“Using the Teletruk means we can aggressively attack a deep seated fire and buildings can be made safe far more quickly which is good news for their occupiers – members of the public or businesses – who are able to recover goods earlier than was previously possible.”