Robot ready to battle blazes across NSW
With its super-human powers, the Turbine Aided Firefighting (TAF 20) machine can move cars out of the way with its bulldozer blade, clear smoke from a building with a high-powered fan, spray water mist or foam for 60 metres and blast water for 90 metres.
TAF 20 can be remotely operated up to 500 metres away and sent into situations where it is too dangerous for firefighters. It is the only one of its kind in Australia and joins Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) in Sydney.
Although it’s based in Alexandria TAF20 can be quickly deployed to any incident across NSW by road or air.
Minister for Emergency Services David Elliott said the robot put FRNSW firefighters ahead of the game when managing hazardous fires and other emergencies where they could not safely approach flames or for when there was danger of an explosion.
The NSW Government has invested $310,000 into this technology and TAF 20 joins NSW’s arsenal of high-tech firefighting equipment like superior helmets and low frequency sirens on fire trucks to alert distracted pedestrians.