Manual and electric deployment systems designed to reduce physical strain, speed up interventions, and optimise roof storage on emergency vehicles.
Deployment under 30 - 40 seconds.
Operate from ground level.
Be ready for more situations.
Fire brigades and emergency services operate under constant pressure to respond quickly, efficiently, and safely, often while working with limited vehicle space and increasingly complex equipment requirements.
Roof-mounted equipment helps solve storage constraints. Accessing it safely and rapidly during an intervention is the challenge.
Whether it is ladders, suction hoses, rescue boats, stretchers, tool containers, or technical rescue equipment, climbing onto a vehicle to deploy heavy equipment adds time, increases risk, and places unnecessary strain on firefighters already working in demanding conditions.
PDE develops manual and electric deployment systems engineered to bring roof-mounted equipment down to the operator, not the other way around. Designed with firefighters in mind, our solutions allow equipment to be deployed directly from ground level in seconds while helping crews work safer, faster, and more efficiently during real interventions.
Different interventions require different equipment configurations, vehicle layouts, and deployment methods. Some operations prioritise rapid ladder access from compact first-response vehicles, while others require heavy-duty rear deployment systems or full roof architectures capable of carrying multiple equipment types.
Rather than developing isolated solutions for every scenario, PDE systems are designed around a modular deployment architecture. By combining system architecture, deployment direction, operation type, and top-build configuration, each solution can be adapted to the operational needs of the vehicle, equipment, and crew.
The infographic below illustrates how different PDE systems can be configured to create tailored solutions for fire brigades and emergency services.
For decades, accessing roof-mounted equipment has often meant climbing onto vehicles, working at height, lifting overhead, and handling heavy equipment in demanding conditions.
Many firefighters accept this as part of the job.
We do not.
PDE deployment systems are designed around a simple principle: equipment should come to the firefighter, not the firefighter to the equipment.
By allowing operators to deploy, access, and secure equipment directly from ground level, our manual and electric systems help reduce climbing, repetitive lifting, and unnecessary physical strain. The result is safer handling, improved ergonomics, and more consistent operations across crews.
Because protecting firefighters should never come at the expense of operational readiness.
No climbing onto the vehicle during deployment.
Less lifting, reaching, and overhead handling.
Keep the rest of the crew focused on the intervention.
Equipment available in seconds when every second counts.
We know every second counts. That is why our deployment systems are designed for fast and ergonomic access to roof-mounted equipment.
Our gantries allow fire fighters to lower and secure ladders and equipment directly from ground level while reducing physical strain and improving operational efficiency.
Lower and access equipment in under 30 seconds for faster operational response.
Carry more operational equipment and improve intervention readiness.
Different interventions require different deployment methods, equipment configurations, and vehicle layouts. We offer solutions designed to adapt to these operational realities:
Designed to lower and lift roof-mounted equipment directly on the side of the vehicle, PDE manual and electric lateral deployment systems provide fast and controlled access from ground level without requiring operators to climb onto the vehicle.
Our side deployment systems give firefighters access to equipment with no contact against the vehicle bodywork, helping preserve it during daily operations and repetitive interventions.
By lowering equipment alongside the vehicle at body height, operators can also access the full length of the equipment directly from the ground, including the front section of the roof load, reducing unnecessary reaching and physical effort during loading and unloading operations.
Award-winning ladder rack since 1992 for its ergonomics. Over 1 million daily users!
LADDERS
STRETCHERS / BASKETS
TOOL BOX / CONTAINER
55 kg.
(depending on ErgoRack version).
Supports all current LCV size vehicles.
Contact us for custom sizes.
High roof vehicles always have a rear slide by default.
Possibility to add a front slide on request too.
Electric side-lowering system for medium to high roof first response vehicles and fire trucks.
LADDERS
STRETCHERS / BASKETS
INFLATABLE BOATS
LCV size vehicles: 100 kg. | Truck size vehicles: 150 kg.
Designed to lower roof-mounted equipment safely from the rear of the vehicle directly to ground level, PDE rear deployment systems are available with vertical 80° deployment or Adjustable Angle (40°– 70°) configurations depending on the type of equipment and operational requirements.
The 80° versions are particularly suited for rapid ladder deployment, bringing ladders close to vertical for fast and controlled loading and unloading operations.
Adjustable Angle systems are designed for a wider variety of equipment, including heavy ladders, suction hoses, tool containers, rescue boats, foldable tanks, and technical rescue equipment. Their lower deployment angle also allows deployment without interfering with rear-mounted equipment commonly installed on fire trucks, while keeping equipment accessible at operator height during loading and unloading operations. These systems are also particularly suited for heavy-duty applications.
Operated by a single firefighter, PDE manual and electric rear deployment systems help improve safety, accessibility, and roof storage capacity on modern emergency vehicles and fire trucks.
Ladder rack designed with a fixed 80º angle for rapid ladder deployment from ground level.
LADDERS
60 kg.
System length: 2.8 m, 3.2 m, 3.8 m, 4.4 m for both manual & electric versions.
HEAVY LADDERS
STRETCHERS / BASKETS
INFLATABLE BOATS
CONTAINER
SUCTION HOSES
150 kg.
System length: 2.8 m, 3.2 m, 3.8 m, 4.4 m for both manual & electric versions.
Designed to maximise roof storage capacity and equipment accessibility, PDE full roof rear deployment systems allow fire brigades to transport, organise, and deploy multiple types of equipment from a single electric roof architecture.
Based on the ErgoBack ePro platform, systems can be configured to cover the full roof or dedicated roof sections depending on the operational needs, vehicle layout, and equipment configuration.
This gantry solution allows one operator to lower the equipment carried on the deployment platform in seconds, while the rest of the crew remains focused on the intervention. Once deployed, each item can be accessed individually from ground level with minimal physical effort.
Designed for fire brigades looking toward the future of operational safety and ergonomics, PDE full roof rear deployment systems combine high-capacity roof storage with the latest electric deployment technology to help protect operators during repetitive daily operations and demanding interventions.
Particularly suited for fire trucks and heavily equipped emergency vehicles, PDE full roof rear deployment systems support a wide variety of operational configurations, including ladders, suction hoses, tool containers, rescue boats, foldable tanks, and technical rescue equipment.
HEAVY LADDERS
STRETCHERS / BASKETS
INFLATABLE BOATS
CONTAINER
SUCTION HOSES
350 kg of equipment.
Trucks.
System length: from 2m to 4.4m.
Available in 12V & 24V.
A complete electric roof system combining high payload capacity with controlled rear deployment.
System benefits:
Top-Build benefits:
HEAVY LADDERS
STRETCHERS / BASKETS
INFLATABLE BOATS
CONTAINER
SUCTION HOSES
60 kg.
Trucks.
System length: from 2m to 4.4m.
For more than 30 years, PDE has been developing roof-mounted transport and deployment solutions designed around operator safety, ergonomics, and real operational constraints.
Working closely with fire brigades, emergency services, vehicle manufacturers, and converters, we continue to develop manual and electric systems adapted to modern intervention requirements, vehicle layouts, and specialised equipment needs.
01.
Decades of experience developing roof-mounted deployment systems for professional vehicles.
02.
ErgoRack systems are used daily by professionals and emergency services worldwide.
03.
Solutions engineered around real interventions, operational feedback, and firefighter needs.
04.
Complete expertise in ergonomic manual systems and advanced electric deployment technologies.
05.
Systems are designed for simplified maintenance and straightforward daily operation.
06.
Every fire brigade operates differently. That is why PDE systems are deployed on a wide variety of vehicles across Europe, from first-response vans and rescue units to heavy fire trucks and specialised apparatus. Explore some real-world examples below.
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