Kent Fire Brigade

Fire service historian and author

Roger Mardon

www.romar.org.uk

Link to Kent Fire & Rescue Service

The brigade’s first hydraulic platform to be used as a dedicated aerial appliance was this 1980 Dennis F125 / Dennis / Simon SS263 (KKK 252V). It replaced the 1957 turntable ladder at Medway. All the brigade’s aerial appliances of this period were finished in fluorescent paint.

In 1981 the brigade acquired six new aerial appliances on the Dennis F125 chassis, three Magirus 100ft turntable ladders and three EPL Firecracker 77ft hydraulic platforms. The Firecrackers were not successful from the brigade’s point of view and were withdrawn from service after a few months.

The turntable ladders were supplied by Carmichael and initially allocated to Maidstone, Thanet and Folkestone.