by Peter Orengo
The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has commissioned four new airport rescue and fire-fighting trucks acquired at a cost of Ksh 369 million.
The four trucks are destined for use at the Moi International Airport (MIA), the Kisumu International Airport (KIA), the Eldoret International Airport (EIA) and Lodwar Airport.
The firefighting trucks are in addition to two which were commissioned in March last year and at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) as part of the ongoing modernisation of local airports and airstrips in the country.
The trucks include three Mercedes Benz Titan trucks with engine capacity of 700 horsepower, a top speed of 120 kilometres per hour with acceleration of 80 kilometres per hour in 25 seconds. With a weight of 34 tonnes the trucks carry a water and foam capacity of 12, 500 litres and 1,500 litres respectively.
The other truck is a Mercedes Benz AROC with an engine capacity of 456 horsepower, a top speed of 100 kilometres per hour with an acceleration speed of 80 kilometres per hour in 27 seconds. The truck has a water capacity of 5000 litres and a foam capacity of 600 litres.