A Teletruk in action for the Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service has added a JCB Teletruk to its range of front-line fire fighting and emergency rescue equipment.

The Teletruk is deployed at waste and rural fires where it is used to move bailed and bulky items to support improved firefighting tactics, reduce the risk of fire spread, improve firefighter and public safety and limit the potential for environmental impact during the firefighting process.

It will also be used at fire scenes during the clean-up and ‘dampening down’ phase of an operation, where there is a need to disturb smouldering debris to allow fire crews to direct water at deep-seated fires to ensure that a blaze is fully extinguished in the fastest possible time.

The Teletruk is transported to the scene of an emergency using a transport mechanism specially developed by JCB in partnership with Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service. The Teletruk is driven onto a skid plate and elevated using a hydraulic system onto the back of a standard flat-bed trailer. The system is quick, safe and simple and complies with all relevant regulations.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Newcastle station commander, Mark Walchester, says: "Before we had the Teletruk, in many instances 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."

The 3,500 kg capacity Teletruk supplied is a four-wheel drive model from JCB’s Wastemaster range. It is fitted with puncture-proof tyres and its cab features rollover and falling object protection systems to ensure that operator safety is maximised when the truck enters a building.

The new Teletruk was supplied by JCB dealer Gunn JCB.