Vienna-Neudorf's volunteer fire brigade: safely on the road with the Econic recovery vehicle.

The Station Commander is thrilled with the new star in his fleet: "The vehicle can tackle anything we throw at it and was tailored precisely to our needs. Plus, thanks to its large panoramic glazing, it provides a perfect view of the surroundings," he says. The Palfinger loading crane with a lifting torque of 19.5 m/t was of decisive importance when choosing the vehicle. The PK19500T-EH High Performance special model is the largest crane in its series. "The old tow truck was progressively reaching its lifting capacity limits with the ever-increasing weight of accident-damaged vehicles. Its overhang and short recovery platform were also becoming noticeably problematic," says Walter Wistermayer, drawing comparisons with the many user-friendly solutions of the new vehicle.

The handy radio remote control of the crane enables, for example, an optimal view of the platform and the entire loading area during operation. The laterally positioned extension cylinder ensures the low overall vehicle height can be maintained even when the main arm is extended. "Thanks to the combination of the low height of the Econic and the very well-designed air suspension, we can now even fit under overhead gantries on the motorway with vans or high SUVs loaded on the platform – with our former vehicle, that wasn't always possible."

Greater safety for the crew and other road users.

According to the Station Commander, there were two advantages of the vehicle which were decisive in choosing the Econic: "The large cab with space for up to four crew members and the folding door on the co-driver's side." These mean that both the driver and the crew can exit on the vehicle's nearside. Not only is this safer, but it also protects against draughts in the cab. In the past, this has been known to cause considerable disorder in the cab, as Walter Wistermayer remembers with a smile.

The Econic focuses on the safety of other road users, too. With its low height and panoramic glazing, the cab offers the driver a direct view of the traffic situation at all times. What's more, Sideguard Assist and an all-round camera system ensure that there are no blind spots.

Sideguard Assist on the Econic helps keeps cyclists safe

Every movement is perfect.

When the fire appliance reaches the scene of the current call, it stops just a few metres away from the overturned vehicle. The Econic's four-strong crew exits the vehicle quickly and safely via the low exit on the co-driver's side, while the driver's door remains closed the whole time. Once the accident site has been secured and the trapped person has been freed, the firefighters concentrate on recovering the damaged van. The well-trained team of firefighters knows exactly what they have to do: after the team raises the van, the winches of the Econic with 3.5 t and 6 t pulling capacity respectively help secure the vehicle on the recovery platform.

Station Commander Walter Wistermayer is happy: "In part, our new Econic enabled us to recover and remove the flatbed van so quickly in this case, and thus get the road back open to traffic in just a short space of time."