Bet it weighs a tonne
A PIONEERING motorbike which is equipped to put out small fires is being launched in Merseyside, says the
Liverpool Echo
Two specially-designed bikes will hit the region’s roads in March, becoming the first of their kind in the country.
Each bike is fitted with a pair of cylinders filled with micro droplets of water and compressed air foam, capable of extinguishing small blazes.
They will be given a six-month trial to see if they are successful.
Rob Taylor, station manager of community fire safety, said: “Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service is always looking at where it can improve services for the public.
“If the bikes are cost effective, I’m sure they will become permanent after the six months has ended.
“We like to keep developing equipment and moving on.”
Two riders will be trained to handle the bikes, which will target the city centre and suburbs like Croxteth, Anfield, Kirkdale and Everton.
The motorcycles are already widely used across the world and help firefighters in countries including Hong Kong, Sweden, Italy and Turkey.
They will not be used to deal with house fires, but instead be principally called out to low-level blazes like rubbish and anti-social behaviour fires.
If a fire is too large, or in danger of spreading, the biker firefighters can call for engines to attend.
Response times are also likely to be cut as the bikes can more easily cut through busy traffic.
