Volvo fires up FL4
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• The first Volvo FL4 7.5tonner to be bodied as a fire appliance made its debut last week at the Fire '87 exhibition in Bristol.
Walter Alexander of Belfast supplied and fitted a newlydeveloped version of its midi water tender bodywork to the FM, which is about to go into service with the Northern Ireland Fire Brigade.
The brigade had begun to replace its Land Rover-based 'first strike' appliances with non-11GV Bedford TL750s when Bedford announced last year that production of its civilian trucks was about to end and the FL4 was chosen as an alternative.
The FL408's chassis is to standard specification, apart from a wheelbase shortened from the usual minimum of 3.4m to 3.048m and low profile, 215/75R, 17.5 tyres. The extended cab can accommodate four forward-facing crew in addition to a driver and frontseat passenger. There is space for four BA (breathing apparatus) sets, and added space under the seats. almost as well-equipped as its larger, Class B counterparts.
The aluminium-bodied appliance can carry a water tank of up to 1,150 lit (250 gal) capacity; a ladder up to 15m in length; a 2,300 lit/min main pump, a portable pump, and a rear, centrally-mounted hose reel with 55m of high-pressure hose. Standard Walter Alexander midi water tender bodywork also includes two large stowage lockers each side.