Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service has commissioned an extreme off-road Mercedes-Benz Unimog to tackle the increasing number of wildfires and flash floods.

The ultra-high mobility Unimog UHE will transport mission-specific ‘pods’, each of which is packed with specialist equipment.

As a U5023 variant, the Unimog is powered by a 5.1-litre four-cylinder engine that produces 230Hp and 900Nm of torque, which it transmits via an optional EAS automated manual version of the standard gearbox. To supplement its eight forward and six reverse gears, Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service specified the working and crawler gear range, which provides another eight forward and reverse ratios.

The extreme off-road Unimog has a standard water fording capability of 800mm but the Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service vehicle has been optionally specified for operation in depths of up to 1,200mm.   

A Central Tyre Inflation system allows the driver to drop the pressures from the cab when the Unimog is off-road. In addition to increasing grip, this brings an environmental benefit by minimising damage to the ground. Tyres can then be reinflated when back on a hard surface for greater safety and fuel efficiency at normal road speeds.

The new Unimog is based at Tolvaddon Community Fire Station, Camborne. It was supplied with four pods – one each for ‘Wildfire Response’, ‘Flood Response’, ‘Line Rescue’ and ‘Disaster Response’ – and also boasts the additional power and communications systems that will allow it to double as a mobile command unit.

The vehicle is the authority’s second Mercedes-Benz Unimog. The first, a rescue pump with crew cab, was acquired in 2007 and works from Launceston Fire Station.

Mark Salter, group manager – Assets Team at Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service, said: “The Mercedes-Benz Unimog was the obvious chassis on which to base this new and highly specialised appliance. Given some of the rough terrain here in Cornwall, exceptional off-road performance was an absolute must. No other vehicle with a similar carrying capacity can match the Unimog’s go anywhere aptitude.”