Heavy rescue vehicle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A heavy rescue vehicle, often referred to as a rescue company, rescue squad, heavy rescue, or simply, fire engine is a type of specialty firefighting or EMS apparatus. Essentially oversized toolboxes on wheels, they are primarily designed for technical rescue situations such as auto accidents, rope rescues, swiftwater rescues, or collapses.
NFPA regulation 1006 and 1670 give guidelines and regulations for the operation of heavy rescue vehicles and also state that all "rescuers" must have medical training to perform any technical rescue operation, including cutting the vehicle itself. Therefore, in most all rescue environments, whether it is an EMS Department or Fire Department that runs the rescue, the actual rescuers who cut the vehicle and run the extrication scene are Medical First Responders, Emergency Medical Technicians, or Paramedics, as a motor vehicle accident has a patient involved.
On the fireground, rescue squads may be responsible for truck company operations (such as structure ventilation, ladder operations, or Rapid Intervention Team operations) or search and rescue. They carry an array of special equipment such as the hydraulic spreader-cutters, wooden cribbing, electrical generators, winches, hi-lift jacks, cutting torches, saws and many other powerful and destructive tools. They can also carry the necessary equipment to respond to and deal with Haz-Mat incidents. These types of apparatus may also be equipped with a pump and tank(s) for water and/or foam.
[edit] Gallery of heavy rescue vehicles
 Sterling Volunteer Rescue Squad's squad 15 |
 Fairfax County Rescue 439 |
 Fremont CA Technical Rescue 3897 |
[edit] See also
- Rescue squad
- Fire apparatus
- Fire Chief's Vehicle
- Emergency medical services
- Airport Crash Tender
- Water tender
- Fireboat
- Extrication
- Firefighter
- List of historic fires
- Glossary of firefighting terms
[edit] External links
- FDNY Rescue 1
- Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad, the 7th busiest squad in the country; home of heavy rescue vehicles: RS28 and RS29.
- West End Vol Rescue Squad Richmond, VA
