Chennai: The state took delivery of two of the tallest aerial rescue ladders that can reach up to 104 m (341 ft), earning the distinction of being the first in the country besides entering into the club of the metropolises across the world having the 104 m HLA (High Level Articulated).
Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa will hand it over to the fire brigade in a ceremony, which is likely to be held soon. The vehicles will be pressed into fire and rescue services on augmentation into the force.
The vehicles were shipped from Port of Turku and reached the city earlier this month, and were taken delivery on Wednesday from Kamarajar Port Trust. The world’s tallest aerial ladders (112 m) are being manufactured by Bronto Skylift, and the 104 m vehicles delivered here are the second tallest aerial ladder in the world.
These truck-mounted ladders were purchased at a cost of Rs 39.74 crore each from Finland-based firm.The purchased 104 m HLA can reach a maximum rescue height of 104 m, and the maximum working outreach will be 30 m.
The platform’s safe working load is 500 kg while it can pump as much as 3,800 litres per minute, and requires 4 m height clearance for transportation. The state had already purchased a skylift of 54 m recently for Rs 5.97 crore recently.
The addition will help the fire brigade keep up with the city in which the residential high rises are on the upward swing, and the numbers keep growing.
All three will be stationed in the Greater Chennai City. With the addition of these three skylifts, the total tally of skylifts in the state is taken to seven.
The fleet of the skylifts already has two 54 m, and two hydraulic platforms, one that can operate up to 37 m and the other can reach up to 42m.
