Land’s End Airport Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) in Cornwall have taken delivery of the first Toyota Hilux 6×6 aviation, rescue and firefighting vehicle. Based on a purpose-built Prospeed 6×6 chassis with a Terberg DTS Fire & Rescue ‘TACR 4’ top-hamper polypropylene body, this sleek ARFF vehicle boasts excellent off-road capability fused with a superb firefighting specification.
Land’s End Airport is the most south-westerly licensed airport on the British mainland situated near St Just in Penwith, 9.3km west of Penzance. This state-of-the-art airport boasting ILS and two all-weather runways is privately owned by the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group. The company’s own airline Skybus operates an exclusive scheduled ‘life-line link’ connecting the mainland with St Mary’s Airport on the archipelago Isles of Scilly 45km south-west of the Cornish peninsula.
The Land’s End Airport FRS is fully compliant to CAA CAT 3 requirements. It has an establishment of 10 Civil Aviation Authority qualified fire service personnel (plus a Fire Station Manager) working a two-watch system delivering fire cover six days a week.
This well-equipped airport fire service has at their disposal a primary foam tender plus a smaller rapid intervention vehicle. In 2021 with the availability of major spare parts becoming very difficult to source, Land’s End Airport decided to evaluate the options open to them to replace this 2002 GMC K30 4×4 rapid intervention vehicle, which the airport sourced second-hand in 2012.
Although the RIV is not their primary fire and rescue response, it does play a major role in the airport’s ability to respond to incidents at rural locations off the airport site. It also deputises for the foam tender when it is off the run.
The airport’s initial findings concluded that suitable ‘second-user’ CAT 3 rapid intervention vehicles were very hard to source and those available at the time of their research did not meet their immediate requirements. However, at the 2021 UK Emergency Services Show Terberg DTS Fire & Rescue showcased their prototype Toyota Hilux 6×6 CAA CAT 3 compliant ‘TACR 4’ RIV based on a Toyota Hilux 4×4 chassis-cab conversion, thus bringing an alternative option to the table!
Following a robust review of the new and used options open to them, Land’s End Airport made a decision to pursue the acquisition of a brand-new rapid intervention vehicle. Late in 2021 they successfully negotiated the supply of this stunning Terberg DTS Fire & Rescue CAT 3 rapid intervention vehicle, which was delivered early in 2022.
The new Toyota Hilux 6×6/Terberg DTS Fire and rescue ‘TACR 4’ sits on a purpose-built one-piece sectional chassis manufactured by Prospeed of Doncaster. It features a fully automatic transmission with permanent 6×4 and selectable 6×6 drive – plus a 3,300mm + 1,000mm wheelbase. It retains the Toyota Hilux four-door crew cabin, accommodating the driver and three crew, plus the manufacturer’s four-cylinder 150bhp turbocharged Euro 6 diesel engine and the original axles, which have been modified and upgraded to suit the requirements of the new chassis.
The bespoke polypropylene body features integral water/foam tanks, four spacious equipment lockers plus a rear-mounted firefighting pump all enclosed by clean flowing roller shutter doors and a front-mounted fully automated bumper turret.
The TACR 4 is available with a wide range of options to meet customers’ individual requirements.
For more information, go to www.terbergfireandrescue.co.uk
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