Maximum flexibility in use
Fire brigades trust in Winkelbauer equipment
Disaster relief operations present fire services with increasingly complex challenges: rough terrain, hard-to-reach danger zones, blocked roads and time-critical situations require highly flexible, powerful equipment. In Styria and Burgenland, the purchase of the Liebherr telescopic loader at the federal state level and the customised equipment from Winkelbauer have provided mainly volunteer fire departments – including the Viertelfeistritz fire department with its support vehicle (tactical designation ‘TL’) – with a solution that takes safety and efficiency to a new level.
The new JCB telehandlers, which were purchased by the Burgenland Regional Fire Service Association as part of its disaster response plan, arrived at the regional fire service base in Eisenstadt at the start of the year. They have been fitted with equipment from Winkelbauer. Disaster response operations present fire services with increasingly complex challenges. Winkelbauer’s equipment has already proven its worth in the field, as experience reports show. Rough terrain, hard-to-reach hazard zones, blocked roads and time-critical situations require highly flexible machinery. With this equipment, the firefighters are provided with versatile vehicles that are ideally suited as a basis for regional and supra-regional operations.
Flexible technology for maximum range of applications
The centrepiece of the system is the hydraulic quick coupler from Winkelbauer, which makes it possible to switch between different attachments within seconds, depending on the situation. This makes the telehandler a real all-rounder in firefighting operations. It is equipped with, among other things:
- Winkelbauer – standard buckets
- Winkelbauer hold-down buckets with hydraulic grapple
- Winkelbauer fork carriage with hydraulic side shift
- Winkelbauer special boom with timber grab
- Decker workman basket for rescuing people and working at height
This allows disaster operations (muddy roads, high snow loads, etc.) as well as storm damage, tractor recovery, car/truck recovery and other technical operations to be carried out much more quickly and safely. “We are therefore extremely flexible – whether in the event of a storm, road accident or fire”, explains Bernhard Dunst, a member of the Viertelfeistritz fire brigade.
Practical experience
Since it was put into service in March 2023, the device has already been used a good 50 times in its own field of application and also for disaster operations in neighbouring districts such as Hartberg-Fürstenfeld and Bruck an der Mur. The fully hydraulic hold-down shovel is used particularly frequently – for example to remove fallen trees from the carriageway in the shortest possible time. “We used to have to saw the trees into small pieces and remove them using manpower. Now we cut them into much larger pieces and can transport them away with the loader (TL). This means we can be out of the danger zone in a matter of minutes,” says HBI Martin Maier.
The equipment is also ideal for special tasks such as converting to a water cannon, recovering vehicles or removing lost loads. As a result, the telehandler is now a fixed starter at every fire brigade. HBI Martin Maier emphasises: “With this technology, we have significantly expanded our range of operations and are also ideally prepared for complex scenarios. The hydraulic hold-down bucket is a game changer and extremely flexible, it makes our tasks much easier.”
Training and safety first and foremost
To ensure that the new technology works smoothly in an emergency, the Viertelfeistritz fire brigade relies on intensive training. Thirty members of the team have already been trained on the Liebherr telescopic handler – the prerequisites are an F driving licence (tractor) and a forklift licence. In addition, monthly small group exercises and quarterly internal training sessions take place. This ensures that every move is correct and that the Winkelbauer attachments are operated in the shortest possible time. “Only those who have perfect command of the equipment can work safely and efficiently in the field,” emphasises HBI Martin Maier.
Advantages at a glance:
✔ Hydraulic quick coupler for quick changeover
Hydraulic hold-down bucket offers maximum flexibility for a wide range of applications
✔ Significantly greater safety for the crew
✔ Efficient operation in difficult environments
✔ Ideal for operations in rough terrain and confined spaces
Conclusion
The experience of the Viertelfeistritz volunteer fire brigade shows: The Liebherr telescopic handler in combination with the Winkelbauer attachments is much more than a special vehicle – it is a strategic operational tool that makes fire brigades fit for the challenges of today and tomorrow.
Winkelbauer is already working on the next orders for provincial fire brigade organisations, also in combination with other construction machinery manufacturers.
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