| | Unimog and crane offers ideal solution for fire service |
Rescuing large animals from ponds, rivers and mud is often traumatic for cows or horses, as well as being hazardous for fire fighters: in Kent the solution has been to combine an all-terrain Mercedes-Benz Unimog with a crane.
Instead of manually hauling animals head first out of gullies and water-filled ditches, the specially trained team of animal rescuers based in Faversham is able to winch the animal gently aloft and away from the danger area. The Unimog U400 with Hiab crane provides the ideal solution. Not only can it use its all-terrain ability to travel right to the scene of the incident, but it’s fast on-road speeds allow the fire service to attend accidents wherever they happen in the county – and even much further afield.
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Sub-Officer Dan Upton says that the Unimog has proved invaluable in rescuing horses – which are often dearly loved family pets – and cows, which are valuable sources of income for farmers. Each year over 70 large animals need to be rescued by the Fire Service, and the jobs needs to be done quickly, safely and professionally.
As well as the safety of the animal, extracting the animal by crane is safer for the fire fighters, but they will always have to wear protection against kicks from struggling cows and horses.
“The local vets have been very impressed with the Unimog’s ability to get animals out of a fix. The system reduces trauma – certainly compared with manual hauling – and this means fewer animals dying as a result of accidents,” Dan said.
“We are a dedicated animal rescue team, trained in using the right equipment for the job. Our aim is to get to the accident site as quickly as possible – and that invariably means off-road driving – and lift the animal to safety. It may be injured and almost always it is tired and frightened, reducing the amount of trauma increases its chances of living through the ordeal. We have recently had a card from a horse owner thanking us for our efforts and saying that the horse had fully recovered and was cantering round the field.” |
The South-East of England, and Kent in particular have special problems with animal rescue. Bordered on three sides by the sea and the Thames estuary, the area has many private estates and farmland, and a vast network of rivers, streams and ditches. There are thousands of hazards for every horse or bovine.
Farm animals can be a potential problem. The Unimog and crane combination has rescued a bull weighing well over a tonne and the previous method of winching and manually hauling the animal out would have been too much for it.
The specialist Kent Fire team has also been responsible for a human rescue. A person weighing 35 stones, with a severe hernia and skin damage, could not get out of their room to get to hospital. The Faversham-based team hoisted the patient out of the house, into a special ambulance and then followed the ambulance to then hospital so they could hoist them into the ward. |
| Unimog a big part of the solution |
“The Unimog and crane is a dedicated animal rescue combination, but the more we operate it the more opportunities we see for increased use. It would be ideal for launching and landing Kent Fire’s inshore and inland boats, or even carrying large bags of water to remote farms where existing appliances could not reach. We have also used the Unimog to carry additional, large diameter hose to supply appliances working away from hydrants and close water sources,” Dan adds.
The Health and Safety Executive is already calling on fire services to use equipment and methods that ensures the most protection for fire fighters, as well as the animals. The Mercedes-Benz Unimog may be considered as a big part of the solution. |
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