FORWARD CONTROL UNIT

A new concept in Strathclyde Fire and Rescue, there will be three Forward Control Units based on a Vauxhall Movano 2.5 CDTi chassis which has been lowered and lengthened by a company called ALCO and the bodywork has been done by Lynton trailers from the  Manchester area.  They are white in livery with battenburg and have been fitted out with a satellite broadband system which links to Strathclyde's Intranet and has direct access to Strathclyde's Vehicle Mounted Data System (VMDS) which shows building layouts and risks. They also have an interactive Smart board onto which building layouts can be projected and items, such as appliances, can be drawn at meetings of Senior Officers. A video camera can be mounted at the top or the rear mounted 6 metre mast to send pictures back to headquarters in emails, video, voice or live video streaming. The video camera is a "Metal Mickey" by Excelerate (who have also provided the satellite broadband) and it can provide normal video or thermal imaging. Each vehicle has 2 compartments, a two position control room and a briefing room. The first incident attended by a Forward Control Unit was an explosion in a row of shops at Clydebank in October 2006, when Fire, Police, Local Authority and Gas authorities were able to gather under cover. The Forward Control Unit will attend all incidents of four pumps or more.

They will work in conjunction with a 40ft long articulated trailer which will be the Service's new and main Command Unit which was built by Cebotec a bodybuilder based in Falkirk.  This vehicle has a separate control room, briefing room, toilet and a small kitchen fitted with a microwave, refrigerator and sink. The control room has three console positions, air conditioning and a heating system. The "Metal Mickey" camera is mounted on a mast which can extend to 13.7metres.  The Command Unit will attend all incidents of eight pumps or more. This appliance will also be used to promote fire safety and for this purpose a wheelchair lift has been fitted so there will be no access problems at these Community Safety presentations. A tractor unit, a Mercedes Axor 1840LS will tow the trailer. It has not yet been decided where this Unit will be based.
The FCUs will attend Level 2 responses and will travel at normal road speed without blue lights. The Command Unit will attend Level 4 responses.
When the Command Unit arrives at an incident the FCU crew will move onto the Command Unit.

One of the Forward Control Units will be based at R04 Dreghorn. It will be crewed by the wholetime crew who will put two firefighters on it when it is required and the rest of the crew will accompany it to the incident in the Pump as the Control Unit Support Pump as happens at present with the Control Unit which has a Pump assigned to it as support pump. The other two will be based at Cumbernauld and Milngavie

SF06HHG in Cowcaddens Yard.                100_5391                                                   3/7/2006

SF06HHG in Cowcaddens Yard.                100_5392                                                   3/7/2006

SF06HHG in Cowcaddens Yard.                100_5394                                                   3/7/2006

SF06HHE in Milngavie yard.    100_5831   This one doesn't have an awning.                30/9/2006

SF06HHE the communication section.    100_5835      30/9/2006

SF06HHE the crew board in the command section    100_5839                                  30/9/2006

SF06HHE the command section                     100_5841                                               30/9/2006

SF06HHE the smart board in the command section           100_5840                             30/9/2006

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