Ford Australia unveils Ranger Super Duty Fire Response Unit prototype

Ford Australia has unveiled a prototype of the Ranger Super Duty Fire Response Unit at the AFAC conference in Melbourne. Developed in collaboration with Deakin University, XL Service Bodies, and Zeliox Australia, the vehicle is designed as an early-intervention platform for fire and emergency services.

The unit is intended to reach incidents quickly, particularly in urban-interface areas where residential developments border bushland, providing core firefighting and emergency response capabilities before full-sized appliances arrive. The Super Cab layout was chosen to balance rear load space for equipment with protected cabin storage for sensitive items like communications and first aid systems.

Technical features of the prototype include a high-flow pump rated at 1,000 kPa at 500 litres per minute and an ultra-high-pressure pump rated at 3,000 PSI at 18 litres per minute. The vehicle also incorporates a dedicated water supply, breathing apparatus, and recovery equipment. To support operations, Zeliox Australia provided an inverter and charging system with solar-charging capability, allowing the pumps to operate without a secondary power source.