Siemens and Centric PA have collaborated on an innovative time-saving technology that’s not only helping New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) save precious minutes during fire emergencies, but also helping control harmful carbon emissions from fires.
Each summer in Australia heralds the arrival of bushfire season – an ever-growing threat amplified by climate change.
Each year, these fires can spread with startling speed: a grassfire can travel at speeds of up to 25km/h – according to the Country Fire Authority (CFA) – covering ground at speeds rivalling an e-scooter or a flooding river.
This is why, when facing the threat of bush fires, every minute matters. And it’s the desire to save these precious minutes that has led Siemens and Centric Process Automation (Centric PA) to develop RASCAL (Retardant And Suppressant Computerised Aircraft Loading), the world’s first fully automated fire-retardant loading system for firefighting aircraft. This innovative system has been designed to increase safety and efficiency, providing the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) with a vital edge in the fight against bushfires.
“The RASCAL system is an automated process for ordering material and reloading the aircraft on its route back to its reloading base,” says Craig Burley, Group Officer & Air Attack Supervisor, Hawkesbury RFS, NSW. “So every minute that we’re able to shave off can also mean the difference between saving houses and losing houses.”
Traditional methods of reloading firefighting aircraft require significant manual labour, and can be prone to delays and potential inaccuracy. RASCAL has revolutionised this process by automating and streamlining the reloading operation, cutting aircraft turnaround times by 50 per cent, and allowing aircraft to get back into the air in just 20-25 minutes.
Innovation through collaboration
The journey to RASCAL’s development is a story of collaboration and innovation. Centric PA worked closely with the NSW RFS to develop a system that met the specific needs of firefighting in Australia’s challenging and diverse landscapes. Together, Siemens and Centric PA created a solution that not only meets current demands but is adaptable enough to evolve with future firefighting requirements.
“The RASCAL product was born out of a desire from the NSW RFS to know specifically how much product they put on their large firefighting aircraft,” says Shane Carter, Managing Director of Centric PA.
The RASCAL, he explains, simplifies the entire loading process by allowing pilots to use a tablet from the cockpit to select their aircraft, choose the required product, and submit a request with the push of a button. This request is then sent to the air base manager, who activates the ground crew to complete the loading.
“There isn’t another system in the world like this,” Carter says. “Siemens has been a great partner in this journey. The only fully automated or even semi-automated system in the world is right here in Australia.”
The RASCAL system not only speeds up the firefighting process but also integrates seamlessly into modern digital ecosystems, aligning with Siemens’ Totally Integrated Automation (TIA) philosophy.
RASCAL is powered by the Siemens S7 1500 PLC, along with SINAMICS variable speed drives, SCALANCE wireless networking, and SITRANS process instrumentation. These technologies work in concert to provide precision control, safety, and enhanced coordination between the aircraft and ground operations.
Going Beyond 1 percent
The creation of RASCAL aligns with Siemens’ Beyond 1% initiative, which seeks to position Australia as a leader in decarbonisation and sustainable innovation. Siemens is working to ensure that Australian innovations, like RASCAL, have a far greater global impact than just reducing emissions beyond the 1% the country is responsible for.
The potential of RASCAL was recently recognised with the project receiving an award at the Beyond 1% Award at Siemens’ summit in July 2024, acknowledging its potential to significantly reduce environmental damage by improving fire suppression efficiency.
“The thing I’m most proud of with the RASCAL is that we are contributing to a global issue,” Carter says. “Just a sense of giving back, taking what we know from technology and then applying that to something that, from a global environmental point of view, is a major emerging issue.”
For more on Siemens’ Beyond 1% campaign, click here.
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