Bobcat Compact Track Loader for Disaster Rescue in Italy

The Special Operating Group - SOG (in Italian - Gruppo Operativo Speciale - G.O.S.) of the Italian Fire Brigade is a highly specialized and expert rescue team that intervenes promptly in the event of natural disasters. The SOG has the job of getting to disaster areas to open up routes for vehicles, remove mud and rubble, to make buildings and embankments of rivers safe and to carry out all other actions needed to restore the viability of areas for local communities.

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For this type of intervention, the SOG is qualified to drive special vehicles for earthmoving such as excavators, wheel loaders, crawler loaders, mini-excavators and trucks for transporting rubble and other materials resulting from disasters. A technical-performance specification drawn up by the Fire Department for the Lazio Region of Italy called for the purchase of a compact track loader to meet operational and rescue needs in disaster work. A new Bobcat T870 compact track loader was purchased for this role as it best meets the required technical specifications particularly in terms of versatility, strength, stability and high power.

Twenty operators from the SOG, which works anywhere in Italy, have undergone intensive training to operate the new Bobcat T870, participating both in a theoretical session in the classroom, and in practical activities in the external areas of the Operational Training School of the CMR headquarters (Regional Mobile Column) of the Lazio Regional Directorate.

The training was organized and delivered by the technical staff of Idio Ridolfi & Figli Srl, the Authorised Bobcat dealer for Abruzzo, Molise, Umbria, Lazio and Marche.

Massimo Ridolfi, the owner of Idio Ridolfi & Figli Srl, says: "It is a source of great pride for us to have been able to establish, over the last three years, a close relationship with the Fire Brigade for the Lazio region based on mutual respect and trust. This is thanks in particular to the professionalism of Daniele Giovanni, our sales manager in Viterbo, Rome and the province. We have previously supplied a Bobcat E50 mini-excavator with a shredder, which has been widely used in emergency interventions."

Customization of the T870 to Meet the Needs of the Fire Brigade

For the sale of the T870 compact track loader, it was necessary to reconfigure the machine to meet the needs of the Fire Brigade. The cab has been sealed and pressurized to prevent smoke from entering and an activated carbon filtration system has been installed. The machine was also painted in the red paint finish that distinguishes all the vehicles of the Fire Brigade.

"Our engineer, Aldo Avenali, prepared and checked the machine in accordance with Bobcat standards," adds Massimo Ridolfi, "and our employees, Rita Agostini and Carmela Serra, took care of all the necessary documentation, with our Bobcat certified service manager, Giancarlo Gatti, hosting the training for the Fire Brigade personnel. A true team effort managed with professionalism, dedication and passion and complemented by excellent technical assistance guaranteed by our staff."

"We are very satisfied with the performance of the Bobcat T870 compact track loader," says Gianfranco Di Leo, Chief Officer SOG Lazio. "The machine has been optimal in terms of lifting capacity, dynamism and manoeuvring speed, allowing for a significant reduction in rescue operations. The compact dimensions of the T870 makes it possible to access even the narrowest roads, and the stability of the machine and the ability to adapt to the ground surfaces in difficult conditions, have guaranteed maximum safety at work."

Gianfranco Di Leo concludes: "An important prerogative that distinguishes this machine from those of competing manufacturers is that the pipes of the front hydraulic outlets are totally protected as they pass inside the arm. This aspect represents an indispensable advantage when working in areas where there is protruding steel and other sharp objects."

The full approval from the Lazio Region Fire Brigade is proof once again of why Bobcat is the undisputed global leader in the compact market, including the most demanding applications, and is a perfect demonstration of the ‘One Tough Animal’ moniker of the Bobcat brand.