Rapid Intervention Vehicle

The Rampini "Vulcano" (Vulcan) is in service with the Aeronautica Militare Italiana as a Rapid Intervention Vehicle. This vehicle is built on a Sirmac SAB 2500 chassis with a front mounted engine. The Aeronautica Militare Italiana has two versions in service, with Diesel or gasoline powerplants. Both have an automatic transmission. The VM 51 A Diesel engine developes 112 kW. The "Vulcano" has a maximum speed of 111 km/h and can accelerate from 0 to 80 km/h in 17 s. The total weight is 5,350 kg. All-terrain mobility is given by the 4-wheel drive and chassis design. The vehicle has a 43° gradeability and it can sustain a max lateral inclination of 35°. Entry and exit angles are 41° and 35°. It can negotiate a 26° hump. Maximum fording depth is 0.70 m.
The crew compartment can accomodate 1+2 firefighters. The driver remains in the cab while the monitor operator climbes to his seat on a raised platform and the rescue man advances with a twin-agent hose line.
The firefighting equipment does not need any power take-off and the vehicle can discharge while in motion.

The "Vulcano" has a 720 litres pre-mixed foam tank and a 650 litres dry chemical powder tank. Pressure is provided by 4 nitrogen cylinders with 50 l of nitrogen each, stored at 200 bar. Between the cylinders and the tanks, a valve reduces the nitrogen pressure to 12 bar.
The monitor has coaxial twin-agent nozzles and is operated with manual controls. Discharge rates for the monitor are 350 Kg/m for dry chemical powder and 550 litres/min for foam.
Throw ranges are 30 m for dry chemical powder and 32 m for foam.

The rear mounted hosereel is pivoted vertically, improving the field of operation of the hose line operator.
Discharge rates for the hose line are 90 Kg/m for dry chemical powder and 140 litres/min for foam.
The heating system enables cold wheather operations down to -12° with -30° operability as an optional. The firefighting equipment is mounted on a self-contained platform that allows firefighting operation with the assembly rolled off the chassis. Tanks and piping are made of stainless steel and rust-free materials (bronze, light alloy, stainless steel) are used for other water/foam system components.