An 81-metre aerial platform for the Lotos Refinery
25 August, 2021
Lotos Straż, a fire service of Grupa LOTOS in Gdańsk, Poland has received an 81-metre Bronto F81HLA aerial platform, making them the owners of one of the highest firefighting platforms in the European Union. The Bronto F81HLA is the newest addition to LOTOS Straż’s fleet and will be used to secure the tallest refining facilities at the plant and provide firefighting assistance in the Tri-City area if necessary. The delivery was made through Bronto Skylift’s Polish agents Finnservis- Bis / Leimro.
The F81HLA features a 4-section telescopic main boom, a 2-section telescopic cage boom and a jib, which together provide 81 metres of working height and over 29 metres of horizontal outreach. Its maximum rescue cage load is 500 kg and the water and foam monitor has a capacity of 3800 lpm. The unit is mounted onto a Scania P450 10×4 chassis with air suspension. The total weight sums up to about 45,400 kg and the overall transport length is 16.4 metres.
The booms and the water monitor can be controlled by the operator on the ground with a radio remote control. This allows the operator to stand within a safe distance in case there is a risk of explosion, for example. The rescue cage includes a protective water curtain for maximum safety, as well as colour and thermal cameras with live transmission to control centre displays for situational awareness. Other options include a material winch with a 150-kg lifting capacity, breathing air and power outlets in the cage, remote control for outriggers, ultrasonic collision guards, various working and warning lights, as well as a 360° bird view camera system.
A large group of firefighters and chemical rescuers from LOTOS Straż were trained to safely operate the unit in a two-phase training programme conducted by a Bronto Skylift instructor. The new aerial platform will enable firefighters to perform their high-rise rescue and firefighting operations safely and more efficiently in the challenging industrial environment. The 81-metre team member will also come in handy in the construction and installation tasks carried out under the EFRA (Effective Refining) Project. The EFRA Project aims for a higher yield of valuable products from each oil barrel processed by the Gdańsk refinery and for more effective use of the heavy residue from the refining process.