Regional NSW disaster response and recovery operations will be strengthened as new high clearance vehicles and light flood rescues roll out across the state, with Tamworth to welcome one vehicle to the ranks.
The vehicles are part of the NSW Government’s fleet replacement program, ensuring NSW State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers have the latest, purpose-built equipment to keep communities safe.
“These new vehicles ensure we are giving our frontline emergency services the equipment they need to respond faster, reach more people in isolated areas, and carry out rescues in some of the most challenging conditions,” said Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib.
“Our investment in these vehicles is about making sure the people who run towards danger to help others have the tools they need to do it safely.”
“We know we can count on SES crews to help communities, and I would encourage anyone who wants to join to sign up.”
Included in this year’s flood rescue fleet upgrades are 10 new High Clearance Vehicles with cranes and specialised equipment worth $800,000 each and 11 light flood rescue Land Cruisers valued at $270,000 each.
The addition of these vehicles to the NSW SES fleet across regional parts of the state will increase volunteers’ ability to access isolated communities and perform critical rescues during flooding.
The new 4WD flood rescue vehicles are designed with enhanced offroad capability and have a custom-built body for flood rescue equipment, as well as integrated stowage for inflatable flood rescue rafts. These vehicles are now being delivered to SES units in Tamworth, Wyong, Kiama, Ballina, Yamba, Orange, Forbes, and Sydney.
“These vehicles represent a significant step forward in our flood and disaster response capability,” said NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Damien Johnson.
“We’ve worked closely with our volunteers and technical experts to ensure these designs meet the realities of field operations – whether that’s wading through more than a metre of floodwater, navigating fire trails, or delivering supplies to communities cut off by floodwaters.”
Further, the high clearance vehicles are designed to operate in extreme off-road conditions and through floodwaters up to 1.2 metres deep, enabling SES crews to deliver essential supplies, complete rescues, and support other emergency services in remote and hard-to-reach locations.
The delivery of the new vehicles comes as SES crews responded to more than 59,000 incidents in the past 12 months, a 24,500 increase from the previous 12-month period, in what has been the busiest year since 2022.
The NSW Government thanked communities for following emergency service advice to prepare, with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting wetter than average weather will continue until the end of the year.
September to April is typically the time when the frequency of storms, strong winds and heavy rain increases, but August has already been wet for much of the state.
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