Brand new in the city.

Econic water tender reinforces the fleet of the Tokyo Fire Department.

This year an Econic 2635 L with a 10,000-l water tank can be seen driving through Tokyo's streets – it is painted cinnabar red to match the colours of the Japanese national flag with the sun symbol on the front. Its mission is to reach fires faster and more flexibly, wherever they may be.

Perfect for difficult conditions.

Japan’s capital is a vibrant mega-city with almost 10 million inhabitants in the core area of the city alone. Traffic jams on the typically narrow roads are the rule and not the exception. If, in an emergency, things need to happen fast, the Econic with its 10,000-l water tank springs into action.

The hydrants for the local water supply system are often difficult to access, which hinders fire-fighting operations. However, in an emergency every second counts and it is then in particular that a water tender vehicle has a clear advantage: "It’s quite simple – the fire service can perform much better with the Econic," explains Masanori Sato from Y-Engineering Company Ltd. which sells the Mercedes-Benz special trucks on the Japanese market. "The firefighters arrive at the scene of the fire and can begin extinguishing it immediately without having to couple their equipment to the water network connection, which is often blocked by traffic." This bridges the time until other fire engines can be connected to the water lines at the scene.

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Ahead of the competition.

Thanks to its Rosenbauer body made of lightweight polypropylene the Econic can transport more water in its tank than the competition. Thanks to its practical rear axle steering the Econic is flexible on narrow roads as its turning circle is 15.4 m. Also, a fireman often has to operate the water turret on the roof of Japanese vehicles. The water turret on the Econic produced by Rosenbauer is a novelty in Japan: it can be controlled from the cab by joystick and additionally by a wireless radio remote control unit.

"In Japan there are also compact trucks that could be equipped with a 10,000-l tank, but then there would be considerably less space for other equipment," says Masanori Sato. Weighing 20 t with a total length of 8 m, the Econic is still very compact. "Government regulations require vehicles weighing more than 20 t to have a wheelbase of at least 7 m – as a result heavy trucks are getting longer and longer," the expert explains. The Econic scores points here because its agility is excellent despite its length.

Econic with turntable ladder for the Tokyo Fire Department

The air suspension system on the Econic eases entry into the vehicle and adapts superbly to the road conditions. This is particularly beneficial to the crew in mountainous regions that are difficult to access. "The fire service also operates in areas where water cannot be supplied by the water network. Here too, the Econic is perfectly suited to driving along narrow roads, bringing the required water with it," Masanori Sato explains.

The fire service can simply act more quickly with the Econic.

Masanori Sato, Y-Engineering Company Ltd.

Safer in the city.

Another important aspect of the Econic kicks in on the often turbulent journeys through the mega-city Tokyo. Safety features like the DirectVision cam quash potentially hazardous situations in traffic. Because: thanks to its low seating position compared to a conventional truck, the driver is at the same height as other road users – and can therefore react more swiftly to dangerous circumstances.

As a result the Tokyo Fire Department will, in future, not just arrive at the scene of a fire faster and more flexibly, it will also be safer in difficult operations.

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