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Paraná has completed the purchase of eight large-scale fire-fighting robots manufactured in Germany and Italy. The robots are remotely controlled and will be used by the Paraná Military Fire Brigade in industrial fires, confined spaces such as tunnels and basements, forest fires, and incidents in critical infrastructure such as ports, airports, and refineries. A team from the State Civil Defense visited the factories in Ulm, Germany, and Bolzano, Italy, to receive the robots, attend demonstrations, and train in handling the equipment, which is expected to arrive at the Port of Paranaguá in three to four months.
Paraná will deploy robots to locations where firefighters face the greatest risks. The State Civil Defense completed in Europe the purchase of eight remotely controlled fire-fighting machines, acquired from manufacturers in Germany and Italy. The robots operate attached to hoses and generate water flow with two simultaneous jets, combining tactical ventilation capabilities, thermal suppression by water mist, and remote operation in environments where temperature and smoke would make human presence unfeasible or extremely dangerous.
Colonel Fernando Schunig, state coordinator of Civil Defense, personally accompanied the technical visits to the factories. “We came to receive the fire-fighting robots. In addition to attending usage demonstrations and training in handling, we got to know all the facilities where the parts are manufactured and assembled. These robots are remotely controlled and have a high fire extinguishing capacity. We are acquiring the best available on the global market,” highlighted Schunig about the equipment that represents one of the most advanced technological solutions available for fighting fires in critical scenarios.
Where the robots will act in place of firefighters
Photo: Civil Defense
The eight robots were acquired to enhance the operational capacity of the Paraná Military Fire Brigade in high-complexity situations. The equipment will be used in industrial fires with high thermal load, incidents in confined spaces such as tunnels, basements, and galleries, urban fires with risk of structural collapse, and forest fires where the rapid spread of fire prevents safe approach of the teams.
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The list of applications also includes events in critical infrastructure such as ports, airports, chemical plants, and refineries, places where explosions and hazardous material leaks make manual firefighting particularly risky. According to information released by the Paraná portal, the robots do not replace firefighters in all situations, but take the front line in scenarios where putting a human in front of the flames means accepting a risk that technology now allows us to avoid.
The technology behind firefighting robots
photo: Civil Defense
The product provided by the German company combines three distinct capabilities in a single platform. Tactical ventilation allows smoke and toxic gases to be dissipated from confined spaces, thermal suppression by water mist reduces the ambient temperature, and remote operation ensures that no firefighter needs to be near the fire’s focus during the most dangerous phase of the firefight.
The robots operate connected to high-pressure hoses and produce two simultaneous water jets with flow sized for large-scale fires. The control is done remotely by trained operators who command the robots remotely, and the platform supports extreme heat conditions that would destroy conventional equipment. For the firefighters of Paraná, the robots represent a change in the way of tackling the most dangerous fires: instead of entering the environment, the operator sends the machine.
The distribution of robots throughout Paraná
The eight robots will be strategically distributed across all regions of the state to ensure a quick response time for any large-scale incident. Colonel Schunig explained that the distribution will follow the Mutual Aid Plan, an instrument of cooperation between companies, industries, public agencies, and emergency response institutions that strengthens the ability to act in incidents involving high risks of fires, explosions, and chemical accidents.
The shipment of the robots from Europe to Brazil is expected to take between three and four months, including sea transport to the Port of Paranaguá and the completion of the customs process. After arrival, the equipment will undergo operational tests in Paraná before being definitively positioned at the regional bases of the Fire Department.
What the purchase of robots means for firefighting in Brazil
Paraná becomes one of the first Brazilian states to acquire European-standard firefighting robots on an operational scale. The decision to purchase eight units at once, instead of one or two for testing, indicates that the state intends to integrate the robots into the operational routine of the Fire Department, not just keep them as demonstration equipment.
For a state with refineries, ports, industrial areas, and extensive forests prone to fires, the robots fill a gap that the human workforce alone cannot safely cover. The technology does not eliminate the need for firefighters, but it ensures that they no longer need to be the first to enter a burning tunnel or a refinery about to explode.
Did you know that Paraná bought eight firefighting robots that replace firefighters in the most dangerous scenarios? Do you think other states should do the same? Tell us in the comments.
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