Schiphol Airport orders custom-made fire engines

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands has ordered 13 new crash tender fire engines for its very own on-site fire brigade. The first of these new vehicles is expected to be delivered by the end of 2018, replacing the current vehicles that are at the end of their service period after 15 years.

A crash tender is a large fire engine that is mainly used to deal with aircraft incidents. The vehicles can be driven while extinguishing a fire simultaneously, using large quantities of extinguishing agent in a short space of time, such as 13,000 liters (22,876 pints) of water, 1,600 liters (2,815 pints) of foam, and over 250kg (551 lb) of powder.

This extinguishing capacity enables Schiphol to fulfil the strictest requirements and allows the largest aircraft – such as the Boeing 747 and the Airbus A380 – to use the airport. The new vehicles weigh over 48,000kg (105,821 lb) and are 14m (45ft) long and 3.2m (10.5ft) wide. They are the largest and fastest fire engines in the Netherlands, capable of reaching any spot on the airfield within three minutes.

Rotterdam The Hague Airport will also receive three new crash tenders, while Lelystad Airport will receive two. These vehicles are smaller, as smaller aircraft land at these airports. They are six-wheel drive (6x6) vehicles that can hold up to 10,000 liters (17,587 pints) of water, 1,200 liters (2,111 pints) of foam and 250kg (551 lb) of powder.