New SES truck

Purpose built and fully equipped for various rescue situations, the truck will provide a safer, more efficient rescue response.

The previous 21-year-old rescue truck had finally completed its service to the community, and the new one arrived late March. The rescue truck and it’s contents cost all together $370,000.

The truck includes an array of cordless tools, with plenty of back up batteries, flood lights, specialist rescue equipment for flood, tsunami and storms, as well as road crash rescue and general rescue.

One of the more impressive equipment pieces, according to this reporter, are the 20 tonne rescue bags.

These air bags that blow up to the capability of lifting 20 tonnes.

“Or you can place them on top of each other like whoopee cushion and lift 40 tonnes. It can lift a semi-trailer,” said Gilgandra SES unit commander Geoff Kiehne.

The new truck is a four-wheel-drive, and is diesel-run.