On February 1, two state-of-the-art airfield fire-fighting vehicles went into service at Saarbrücken Airport. The vehicles represent a long-term investment in the safety of passengers and flight operations as a whole and are also more economical than their predecessors while offering greater performance.

The two new "Advancer FLF 60/100" fire engines were officially put into service with a performance presentation by Airport Managing Director Thomas Schuck. They will replace the two "Panther" vehicles with immediate effect.

"With the new vehicles, we are working at the highest level of safety for passengers and airlines in the long term. The models are state of the art and, with their modern equipment, not only meet current but also future requirements. They are also more economical than the previous vehicles. Nevertheless, I hope that the new vehicles will not have to be used more often than their predecessors," said Tomas Schuck.

The "Advancers" from the manufacturer Albert Ziegler GmbH, an internationally active specialist company for emergency and operations management, have a 10,000 liter water tank, a 1,100 liter foam agent tank, a 450 kg powder extinguishing system and a new type of 120 kg CO2 extinguishing system. With a so-called roof turret and a front turret, extinguishing agents can be used in parallel and independently of each other. Thermal imaging cameras and laser-supported extinguishing agent alignment ensure maximum efficiency. The extensive automation allows the crew to concentrate fully on fighting the fire.

The new vehicles are therefore more powerful and, with a weight of 30 tons on a standard chassis, also significantly lighter than their almost 20-year-old predecessors. In addition, they have regular road approval and the supply of spare parts is guaranteed for the entire service life. A total of 1.15 million euros was invested in the two "Advancers", including fire department equipment and special equipment. An investment that will pay for itself in the medium term thanks to its cost-effectiveness.

The "Panthers" are sold. One is to be used in a stone factory in Saarland in the future.