System Edström was proud to visit Paper Mill Lock in Essex last Friday to attend the official launch of Essex Search and Rescue’s new incident control vehicle.

The converted Peugeot Boxer L4H3 panel van features a System Edström van racking system, installed by our colleagues at Richell Vehicle Conversions and Fleetshield. The van is a vital addition to the organisation’s assets that will significantly enhance the team’s ability to coordinate searches for vulnerable missing people across the county. System Edström’s van racking provides secure, accessible storage for vital equipment, helping the team deploy quickly and work efficiently on scene.

Speaking at the handover event, H Goodwin from Essex Search and Rescue explained that the new vehicle is much more than just a van: “This is a vital addition to our operational capabilities: a fully equipped command vehicle that allows us to coordinate search efforts more effectively during live callouts. We now have this as an asset and this strengthens our ability to respond quickly, act decisively and improve our chances of saving lives.”

The event was also attended by representatives of the project’s key funders: the Doris Macer Foundation; Charles S French Charitable Trust; Fowler Smith and Jones Trust; D&B Scaffolding; and the Essex County Fire and Rescue Charitable Fund.

H was particularly appreciative of the contribution made by the donors, given the challenges of securing funding for search and rescue operations, sa Save ying: “Your support has had a direct and lasting impact. Securing funding in today’s climate is not easy. We do not always meet the typical grant criteria. We are not a conventional community project or environmental initiative. What we do is search for missing people, often during the worst moments of their lives or their loved ones’ lives.

“Our work does not always fit neatly into traditional funding frameworks. When you chose to support us, you did not just provide funding for a vehicle, you invested in people, in hope and in the operational capacity that saves lives.”

Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow from Essex Police paid tribute to the dedication and tireless efforts of Essex Search and Rescue volunteers. “The reality is that every day a number of people go missing in Essex for a variety of reasons. It’s hugely challenging for Essex police to meet the requirements that we have to try and find people. So, it is with huge and genuine thanks that we can reach out to organisations like Lowland Rescue and call upon you guys to come out and help us find people. Thank you to everyone that’s contributed and I can’t wait to see this put to use in doing the great work that you do.”

Among those who helped bring the project to life was Matt Cloke, the project lead for the new vehicle. Goodwin jokingly referred to him as the “project parent,” explaining how he dedicated countless hours to the project, often losing sleep over the smallest details.

Matt later spoke about the operational impact of the new vehicle. “When I get a phone call at three in the morning and we’re asked to go somewhere in the county and assemble a search plan for a missing person who we probably know very little about… we need to have a plan around how we’re going to search for that missing person. Having a facility which we can take anywhere in the county, in which the computers come on, the radio aerial goes up and we can start using our search software to start plotting a plan for where we’re going to be searching and allocating teams, is fundamental.

Matt explained that the new vehicle has replaced an ageing one that had served the team for 12 years. The new van is purpose-built for search management, with key features including all-round lighting, easy access to equipment, an integrated aerial, dedicated workstations and robust battery systems that allow the team to operate off-grid for extended periods. There’s even space for Essex Police search advisors to work directly alongside Essex Search and Rescue team leaders.

The control vehicle is now the operational hub for the team, providing on-site office space, fully charged equipment, and the capability to coordinate complex searches from the moment it arrives.

Dave Callington from Essex Search and Rescue also highlighted how the new vehicle will improve reliability and deployment speed. “Reliability is the key thing, along with ease of deployment. You’ll see in this vehicle that the aerial is an integral part. We used to have a separate aerial that was on a tripod and you had to put it up manually. That builds its own risks, what with putting it up and the delay of deployment. So, the ease of deployment, having all the kit in the back, really accessible, and just the usability of the vehicle with the all-round surround lighting is key.”

Representatives from several supporting organisations also spoke at the event. Keith Richardson from the Doris Macer Foundation described how impressed he was by the team’s commitment over the three years since the project began.

System Edström UK Sales Manager – Wholesale Chris Angel said: “It’s quite emotional hearing about the impact that you have in saving lives and trying to help people in need. It’s just fantastic to see the people here today who have helped this new vehicle come to fruition and I hope that it really aids you in the trying work that you and all the other volunteers do. It’s brilliant that we can help in a small way and we just wish you all the best in the future.”

Sue Gibson from the Charles S. French Charitable Trust said supporting the project was “a no-brainer”, while Gerry Dobbs, CEO of D&B Scaffolding, praised the team’s incredible work. Craig McLellan, Area Manager for Essex Fire and Rescue summed up the importance of Essex Search and Rescue’s role: “I’d like to echo Simon’s words about the gap that you fill. Whilst we have a responsibility for rescue, we rescue people when we know where they are and that they’re in danger. There is a huge void that you fill… when we don’t know where people are.”

The new vehicle is a promise to the community that Essex Search and Rescue will remain ready at all times and in all conditions to search for and rescue those in need. System Edström is delighted to have played a part in bringing the vehicle into public service.