Twelve months in development, the operator’s choice of chassis was a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter due to its off-road performance and manoeuvrability.
The resulting vehicle is based on a high-roof, long wheelbase 4x4 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, and is now said to be creating “significant interest” from other emergency services across the UK.
The unit doubles up as a mobile work unit and control hub, where the volunteer workers are in close contact with the emergency services and the families of missing persons.
The driver and front passenger seats are 360-degree swivel options, which rotate to transform a mobile unit into a working environment. The rear of the vehicle – accessed through side and rear doors – is equipped with a table, bench, large storage area, two workstations and a stretcher.
A roof-mounted satellite dish, wi-fi connectivity and a large, internal panel-mounted monitor ensure optimum communication at all times.
“The team at Cartwright Conversions has been absolutely superb. Everything we wanted to achieve they found a way to make it happen,” says Mark Susca, deputy team leader, Cheshire Search and Rescue.
“We were heavily involved in the planning stages, which were critical to the functionality of the finished product, but once the design had been agreed, we left it to them and we have been delighted with their speed and attention to detail.”