Safely to the scene: Günzburg Fire Brigade relies on AL-KO VT Trailer Control
The fire brigade provides safety – but they need it, too. On the way to an emergency, they often travel in large vehicles with utility trailers. A product from AL-KO Vehicle Technology ensures they stay safely on track – as is the case for the fire brigade in Günzburg.
As fast as the fire brigade – but always with safety in mind
Whether fire, accidents or disasters – the fire brigade always literally needs to reach the scene as quickly as possible. After all, every minute counts when lives are at stake. However, at the high speeds involved in emergency callouts, firefighters also put their own safety at risk on the road.
Manoeuvring 12-tonne fire service convoys with utility trailers at speed poses particular challenges. For example, traffic management trailers often have to be brought quickly to incidents on the motorway. The situation on the road is often unclear, and when wind, weather or ruts are added to the mix, the risk to drivers and other road users increases.
Overtaking and changing lanes become considerably riskier with an added trailer load. The trailer can begin to sway or fishtail. In addition, the trailers are often not visible in the mirrors of the larger fire service vehicles. Drivers therefore need to check the mirrors frequently – and that’s at speeds of up to 110 km/h and in situations which already demand their full attention.
New control system increases fire brigade safety on the road
An intelligent solution for keeping the convoy under control is used by the Günzburg Fire Brigade: the anti-sway system AL-KO VT Trailer Control (ATC) for utility trailers from AL-KO Vehicle Technology.
The system continuously monitors the driving behaviour of the trailer. Using sensors, the ATC detects dangerous lateral movements directly at the trailer axle, even before any ESP for trailers present in the towing vehicle can register the swaying motion. If thresholds are exceeded, the ATC activates automatically and applies the trailer brakes via Bowden cables. This brief braking action straightens and aligns the vehicle combination. As a result, lateral acceleration is reduced and the dangerous situation is resolved. The entire process is barely noticeable for the driver – so they can focus fully on the road.
Until recently, ATC had only been available for recreational vehicles. The reason: in its previous form, the system would only function if the trailer’s weight remained relatively constant. This is typically the case for leisure trailers: payload is usually fairly low, and empty and gross weights are similar. In the case of utility trailers, however, the gross weight varies depending on the current load. To enable the ATC to provide greater safety for utility trailers as well, the engineers at AL-KO Vehicle Technology adapted the ATC. The new ATC for utility trailers now dynamically adjusts to the current payload – and keeps the trailer reliably on track.
Günzburg Fire Brigade
To ensure it is fully operational, the ATC performs a self-test every time the trailer is hitched. A green light indicates that the ATC is active. The driver of the vehicle combination can be confident that the trailer behind will stay on track – even in critical situations. On average, the system detects one hazardous situation per callout involving the Günzburg firefighters. The driver no longer needs to worry about this and can focus on reaching the scene of the accident as quickly as possible and saving lives.
“The ATC is a great asset for our fire brigade”, says the commander and Head of Fire Services in Günzburg, Christoph Stammer. “The more attention our drivers can devote to what’s happening on the road, the safer our operations become – both for us and for other road users.”
Further information about the Günzburg Fire Brigade can be found here.
