Capita has delivered the first 14 new fire fighting vehicles as part of the company’s 12-year Defence Fire and Rescue Project (DFRP) contract. The arrival of these appliances is a key milestone in Capita’s work to manage and modernise the Ministry of Defence’s fire and rescue capability.
Capita Fire and Rescue, one of Capita’s business units, is deploying two new types of fire fighting vehicles: 10 High Reach Extendable Turret (HRET) Strikers; and four Multi-Purpose Response Vehicles (MPRV). The HRET Striker is manufactured in the USA by Oshkosh and distributed and supported in the UK by Terberg DTS. It is one of the most innovative fire fighting vehicles available in the aircraft fire and rescue industry.
The HRET technology enables greater fire suppression and control, helping firefighters to respond safely and quickly to fires and other incidents while in the cab of the vehicle, this significantly reduces the risk they are exposed to. In addition, the greater distance from a fire allowed by an HRET provides an extra measure of safety for the crew.
The MPRV is designed and manufactured in the UK by Angloco. It comes in two variants designed to support both airfield and structural fire fighting operations. The MPRV is also a specialist fire fighting vehicle, which can be deployed as the primary appliance or alongside the HRET to support response capability.
This first tranche of vehicles has been delivered to locations including RAF Waddington, RAF Brize Norton, RAF Northolt and MOD Corsham to support initial training before the appliances become operational in September 2020. Over the course of the contract Capita will procure and deploy a total of 128 vehicles to replace the Ministry of Defence’s current fleet of fire appliances.
These new fire fighting appliances are all owned by the Ministry of Defence. Capita Fire and Rescue is responsible for training firefighters to use, operate and maintain them.
Jason Clay, Managing Director for Capita Fire and Rescue, said, “This is a key milestone in our work to transform the Ministry of Defence’s fire and rescue service. These new vehicles will improve operational capability whilst reducing risk to our firefighters, defence personnel and the critical assets they operate.”
Joel Gray, Chief Fire Officer of Defence Fire and Rescue, said, “All firefighters within Defence Fire and Rescue are looking forward to the delivery of these new vehicles which represent a step change in firefighting technology. Both variants are a huge improvement on the existing fleet and their delivery represents a real and tangible benefit of the Defence Fire and Rescue Project contract.”
Alistair Brown, Managing Director of Angloco, said, “This is a landmark project for Angloco and a real chance to showcase our growing capabilities not just in vehicle production but in service support. We are especially proud to have delivered these first vehicles as planned despite the major perturbations of COVID-19 impacting supply chains globally. Angloco has a 40 year plus history of supporting Defence Fire and Rescue in the UK and we are delighted to continue that legacy.”
Alisdair Couper, Managing Director of Terberg DTS (UK) Ltd, said, “Terberg DTS are delighted to continue their long-standing relationship with the MOD, working with Capita to provide and support some of the world’s most advanced firefighting vehicles for DFRP. The Oshkosh Striker with HRET will provide an advanced, reliable platform with the very latest enhanced capability required for modern firefighting.”
