A new state of the art fire engine is now ready for operational action in West Sussex.

The high-tech Scania, which replaces the old Water Tender Ladder based at Midhurst Fire Station, is part of West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service’s on-going investment into upgrading its fleet.

The new appliance benefits from a Compressed Air Foam System which uses only a small amount of water to quickly and effectively suppress a wide range of fires including thatch, property, vehicle and heathland fires.

It also has a larger water tank and more powerful hose reels than its predecessor.

The new Scania is the first of three new hi-tech fire engines being introduced into West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service’s fleet. County fire stations at Crawley and Worthing are also set to take delivery of upgraded fire engines later this month.