Large scale, fire vans, first aid: the Tarn firefighters present their new vehicles

A panel of the latest acquisitions of SDIS 81 was presented this Wednesday at the headquarters of the General Staff in Albi, in the presence in particular of the sub-prefect chief of staff of the prefect of Tarn, Corinne Quèbre, and the president of the Department, Christophe Ramond , the director of SDIS 81, Colonel Jimmy Gaubert, and Inspector General Jean-Yves Noisette, head of the Interministerial Staff of the Zone South, visiting this Wednesday in the Tarn.

First, two ton pump vans (FPT), used both for fighting fires in urban areas and for rescues, which will be assigned to the Albi and Castres rescue centers. “A bit like the Swiss army knife of firefighters,” explained Lieutenant-Colonel Sylvain Eslan, deputy director of operations of SDIS 81. This type of equipment has been used more than a thousand times in the Tarn since beginning of the year.

The road rescue pump-tonne van (FPTSR), which will be assigned to Mazamet, has the same characteristics as the first two vehicles but it also carries extrication equipment for road rescue operations. A “2 in 1” vehicle that allows firefighters to rationalize the costs and use of their equipment.

Among the other vehicles presented: a foam water tanker truck (CCEM) for the Gaillac center, already present in the SDIS fleet but which has been “retrofitted”, four new victim rescue and assistance vehicles (VSAV) , the most used by firefighters (more than 18,000 outings since the start of the year), and a “large scale” (EPC) for the Albi rescue center. A new combined movement model that can deploy up to 27 meters in height in just 30 seconds during victim rescue operations.

Objective: to provide the necessary resources to firefighters with a view to anticipating risks. “Security has no price but it has a cost”, indicated Michel Benoit, president of the board of directors of SDIS 81, recalling the considerable budget implemented since 2022 to renew and improve the existing park (around 2 million euros per year), thanks to funding from the Department. Corinne Quèbre recalled for her part that around fifteen other vehicles will arrive as part of the capacity pact signed with the State.