The new facility brings together key fire and rescue support functions under one roof, including fleet and engineering, supplies, operational equipment, and research and development.
Located alongside the existing NIFRS training facility, the new centre has a 16-bay vehicle workshop, where the Stertil Koni lifts have been installed – six recessed platform Skylifts plus a two-post lift, type SK2070-33.
Five of the Skylifts, type Sky 250, are used to for servicing and maintenance work on appliances and a other operational vehicles. The lifts have a 10m-long platform and low drive-on height of 350mm, and a lifting capacity of 25 tonnes.
The sixth Skylift is used in a outdoor washbay, and is constructed from galvanised steel for maximum strength and water resistance.
Completing the line-up is a seven-tonne capacity, two-post lift, which is used for other vehicles such as vans, trucks and 4x4 rescue vehicles. It has a pick-up height of 90mm and a maximum lift height of 2,020mm.
“We were delighted when Lowry’s, our main contractor, proposed Stertil Koni as the supplier of the vehicle lifts,” says Ian Grimes, head of fleet, engineering and supplies at the centre.
“We knew that Stertil Koni was a leading name in heavy-duty vehicle lifts and other fire services were pleased with their products… the lifts are living up to their reputation and our workshop engineers find them extremely easy to use and trouble free.”