Leinfelden-Echterdingen / Sulgen (Switzerland) – A new FUSO Canter 6C18 4x4 is the latest addition to the fleet of the volunteer fire department of the Sulgen-Kradolf-Schönenberg fire department association in the Swiss canton of Thurgau. The Canter with optional all-wheel drive, equipped as a Small Tanker Fire Fighting Vehicle, is multifunctional and was built by fire-fighting equipment manufacturer Rosenbauer. It is the first vehicle in this category in Switzerland to be based on a FUSO Canter 4x4 chassis. This was supplied by the Swiss FUSO partner LARAG AG Commercial Vehicle Services in Wil, whose workshops will also take care of all maintenance and repair work on the basic vehicle in future.

"The FUSO Canter 4x4 has proven to be the ideal solution for our requirements profile. In terms of tonnage, it is exactly what we wanted. Its predecessor often reached its limits in terms of weight," explains Pascal Zellweger, first lieutenant of the volunteer fire department and fire brigade commander in Sulgen.

Rosenbauer Switzerland, based in Oberglatt, equipped the Canter chassis with a custom-designed body that also considers the installation space of the transfer gearbox and makes optimum use of the 3,415 mm wheelbase. The central elements are a centrally positioned, 1,500-liter extinguishing water tank and a powerful Rosenbauer FOX 4 portable fire pump accessible from the rear, enabling the emergency services to carry out an initial attack until the water supply has been established via a hydrant.

The increasing danger of heat and drought was also taken into account when planning the Small Tanker Fire-Fighting Vehicle, which is why equipment for fighting small forest fires is now on board. It consists of two hand-held extinguishers that are carried like a backpack, fire patches made of fireproof fabric to knock out embers, special water-permeable hoses that soak through and therefore do not catch fire on hot forest floors, as well as axes and rakes. "The FUSO Canter 4x4 is a perfect fit for this issue, which we regularly have to deal with, especially during the barbecue season. Thanks to its compact dimensions and selectable all-wheel drive, it can get through anywhere on our narrow forest paths here in the countryside," says fire brigade leader Pascal Zellweger.

Once engaged, the all-wheel drive transmission in the Canter 4x4 distributes 129 kW/175 hp from the high-torque 3-liter engine to the front and rear axles in a 60/40 ratio. On more demanding terrain, the additional reduction gear reduces the engine speed if necessary and thus increases the torque. A self-locking differential supports the 4x4 for even more traction and driving stability.

The FUSO Canter 4x4 with its comfortable cab with double bench seat offers space for the driver and two additional firefighters. With the ergonomic driver's swing seat from Isringhausen, driver and passenger airbags and air conditioning, training and emergency drives are comfortable and safe. The cockpit also houses the display for the reversing camera and the control panel for the signaling system and ambient lighting, both of which are Rosenbauer installations.

Lieutenant Pascal Zellweger is enthusiastic about the firefighting capabilities of the FUSO Canter 4x4 and how it performs as a companion for the crew: "As a front-wheel drive vehicle, it provides very direct handling. You can precisely steer in narrow passages and always keep the overview. It's also easy to master for less experienced drivers, as we are - fortunately – not called out every day. The Canter's maneuverability and handling are simply ideal, or as we Swiss would say: Der isch super! “