HEAVY RESCUE VEHICLE

Introduced in 1991 against a background of a need for a rescue capability with greater muscle than that provided by the Road Rescue Units, the Heavy Rescue Vehicle was introduced. Based at Easterhouse Fire Station, which has good access to the motorway network, it is crewed by two firefighters. When the HRV is mobilised a support pump is also mobilised (Easterhouse's second and if it is already at an incident it is replaced at that incident by another pump and then it  attends the HRV's incident) and it is this crew who actually use the equipment on the HRV.
It is mobilised to train crashes, Road Traffic Accidents involving heavy goods vehicles, multiple vehicle RTA's, building collapses, any incident of five pumps or more and at the request of the officer in charge of an incident.
Equipment carried includes hydraulic rams, heavy duty spreaders and cutters, large capacity air bags, 'tirfor' portable winch, angle grinder, trench props, lighting gear, hydraulic jacks and A.S.B. vibraphone.
The HRV is basically a box van kitted out with shelving to accommodate the equipment with a power tailgate at the rear and a door on the near side which is mounted on a Scania G93M-210 chassis. Registration number G495SYS.
In 2003 a new HRV was put on the run at Easterhouse, this time it had a crew cab capable of carrying six Firefighters. Although it still only has a crew of two and is accompanied by a support pump it is planned that in the future it will carry a crew of ? Firefighters and do away with the need for a support pump. The date for this has not been set and may never happen of course if Brigade policy changes. (2003)

This photo shows FIRE’S Deputy Editor, Simon Hoffman, discussing Strathclyde’s heavy rescue vehicle (HRV) with (centre) SDO John Williamson and Stn.O Jim Smith. (The photo referred to is not on this site.)
The £140,000,vehicle, the only one of its kind in Scotland, was mobilised 241 times last year, providing essential support at incidents like RTAs involving large goods vehicles, multiple vehicle pile-ups, collapsed buildings (it was called to the Glasgow tenement collapse pictured on the cover of FIRE’s June issue), accidents involving aircraft, persons trapped in machinery, and trenches.
The incidents attended required extensive use of its equipment, in particular the hydraulic rams, heavy duty rescue spreaders and cutters, large capacity air bags, Tirfor portable winch, angle grinder, trench props and lighting gear.
Based on their effective use with the HRV, four sets of hydraulic rams have been purchased for selected road rescue units,
The appliance, on the run now for 18 months, now forms part of the attendance. where five or more pumping appliances are committed.
The equipment on the appliance is constantly being evaluated, this stems from use at incidents, exercise and training. Recent additions include a sophisticated new ASB Vibraphone to assist rescuers detect casualties trapped beneath rubble or debris.
The HRV is based at Easterhouse Fire Station, Glasgow.
(Fire magazine, Scottish Feature, August 1993. Page 15.)

Appliances

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