Derwent Valley SES scores new heavy rescue vehicle

PHOTO: Familiarising themselves with the new heavy rescue vehicle are SES unit manager, Alan Baker, along with Troy Bester, Claire Browning, Paul Browning, Adrian James, Mayor Michelle Dracoulis, Jodie Kenzig, Leith McHarry, Matt Paine and Maggie Tonner.

Derwent Valley’s SES this weekend took on a fresh addition to its fleet, a $150,000 Isuzu heavy rescue vehicle.

The new vehicle utilizes all-electric equipment, and will serve as the primary response vehicle of the Valley unit.

It replaces a Mitsubishi truck that has been in service since 2004. As a measure of service, the previous vehicle has 42,000 kilometres on the clock; it will be added to the fleet of the SES in the southern region.

Derwent Valley Council provided $75,000, half of the cost of the new vehicle. 

Custom built, its equipment—with which the local SES is now getting familiar—are hydraulic rescue tools, often known as the Jaws of Life.

Enormously powerful, they offer multiple capabilities for emergency rescue personnel, especially for the extraction of victims of involved in vehicle accidents.

The Isuzu vehicle is one of seven heavy rescue vehicles ordered by the State Government, along with five medium response, 11 light rapid response and 12 tactical vehicles.

The new vehicles support road rescue, search and rescue, flood and storm response operations, and are being distributed across Tasmania.

The Valley’s SES team meets at 7pm every Wednesday at its headquarters on the corner of George and Blair streets in New Norfolk. New members will be welcomed, and cheerfully introduced to the unit’s human and technical capabilities.