The aerial rescue vehicle is a special type of special vehicle. It is used by the fire department and occasionally by the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW). Its tasks include firefighting, technical assistance and rescuing people from great heights. The requirements for safety technology in an aerial rescue vehicle are based on DIN EN 1777.
Similar to the swap body vehicle, the aerial rescue vehicle is based on a truck, but unlike the latter, it is equipped with a fixed truck body behind the driver's cab. In addition to the rest of the load, this contains a turntable ladder, which is usually of the standardized type "DLK 23-12". The abbreviation stands for the equipment and basic data of the ladder and refers to a turntable ladder (DL) with cage (K), which can reach a nominal rescue height of 23 meters and a nominal outreach of 12 meters. Some larger models are also available. An alternative to the turntable ladder is the telescopic mast. This makes it possible to reach more difficult positions than a turntable ladder, but requires a longer set-up time and is less suitable for rescuing large numbers of people due to the lack of a ladder.
The nominal rescue height indicates the vertical distance between the top rung of the ladder and the ground when fully extended. For turntable ladders, the nominal outreach is the horizontal distance from the outer edge of the aerial rescue vehicle to the perpendicular of the highest rung.
An aerial rescue vehicle carries various items of equipment. This includes breathing apparatus, tools, a pressure hose and floodlights that can be attached to the cage. A jump pad is also often part of the equipment.
Aerial rescue vehicles with turntable ladders or telescopic masts are particularly suitable for higher buildings. Due to this complex technology, they are significantly more expensive than other command vehicles and represent a particular challenge for special vehicle construction in terms of the vehicle technology installed.
