Heavy rescue vehicle

Types

Depending on the size of the vehicle and the equipment it carries, a rescue vehicle might fall into different categories, such as light, medium, heavy rescue, or technical rescue. While each of these categories often have overlapping tasks, they may be classified differently for the sake of dispatch on certain kinds of incidents. For instance, in Loudoun County, Virginia, the Loudoun County Combined Fire and Rescue System operates medium and heavy rescue apparatus, which are categorized based on equipment carried. In Loudoun, to avoid confusion, a medium rescue is referred to as a squad truck or a technical rescue (or simply squad), while a heavy rescue, which carries more equipment and is almost always larger, is referred to as a rescue (or heavy rescue). This differentiation exists to allow vehicles that would not normally be classified as medium rescues, such as certain rescue engines, or tower/ladder trucks to be dispatched on calls requiring a higher level of technical rescue, if the regular squad has been dispatched. This in turn leaves the heavy rescue apparatus available, as opposed to sending them on a call that could have been handled by a medium rescue. Many heavy rescue vehicles carry equipment for responses to multiple-casualty incidents, chemical spills and other situations. Some rescue vehicles carry specialized rescue tools for all kinds of technical rescues including rope, water rescue equipment, various cutting and prying tools and other equipment useful in all kinds of rescue situations.