When multiple tornadoes ripped through Texas on April 3, this Ford F-550 rescue concept was called into action to aid the cleanup cause. Luckily, the truck is a functional unit, as all of the safety systems on the truck are fully operational, though they had been untested before the storm. The building of the F-550 rescue truck was handled by NewScope Marketing, an independent company that looks after marketing and branding for businesses.
The local fire department of Granbury, Texas, was called on to oversee the building of the truck, so when the storms first hit, the department called NewScope and informed them that the concept would be helpful for the rescue effort.
This F-550 is packed with safety features, and weighs in at 19,500 lb gross weight. It is equipped with thermal imaging that can detect heat sources from up to half a mile away, doppler radar, more than 100 LED lights, a front bumper winch and a generator that can fully power a small house. The size of the truck was also an advantage because full-size fire trucks had trouble fitting in to some of the spots that the F-550 could go.
The truck was used to light up houses, check close by weather patterns and thanks to its small size it was used mainly as a transport vehicle, taking supplies to the men on the front lines.
If this concept were a reality, it would cost about $150,000.
