Category: Nuclear Response
Vehicles that are used for Ministry of Defence nuclear emergencies are classed as emergency vehicles and are permitted to use blue flashing lights. These vehicles form part of the Naval Emergency Monitoring Organisation (NEMO). For all defence nuclear material accidents and incidents the MoD is the lead government department and will establish a MoD HQ Nuclear Accident Response Organisation (NARO) from which the NEMO is tasked to provide rapid and effective monitoring advice in the event of an incident.
N458 HTP is a Landrover Defender used by the NEMO for nuclear response work in Portsmouth. The torch-shaped object you can see hanging from the front is an “x-ray probe” and is used in the event of an accident to monitor large areas of land.
N504 GRL is a Land Rover Defender and L970 COM a Leyland DAF, both being used for Nuclear Accident Response work from Alverstoke.
SG05 AHU is a Scottish-registered Ford Transit. It has a simple blue reflective stripe up both sides and across the back. It is fitted with blue and amber flashing lights and is operated by the Naval Emergency Monitoring Team (North), part of the MoD.
The rear view of the same Ford Transit. The vehicles carry no writing on them as the term ‘Naval Accident Monitoring Team’ may cause concern to the public. This type of vehicle is capable of monitoring for radioactive materials or acting as a command and control headquarters.
L711 HNV is a rugged Land Rover Defender. It has the same blue stripe livery as the Transit above, but only has a blue light bar on the roof. Notice the grilles over the headlight clusters and spade mounted on the bonnet.
Inside the back of the Land Rover is an array of equipment that is used for checking the safety of radioactive items and investigating accidents.
N202 HFW is a Ford Iveco truck that is used as a prime mover for the emergency monitoring headquarters. It has the same blue stripes but no blue lights in this instance. You can see that a small tent has been erected alongside the vehicle which is used for command, control and analysis. Notice also that there is a black plate on the front grille where a hazard warning plate can be mounted.
An example of a Radioactive Hazard Warning Plate. If the vehicle is involved in a road accident then this plate can alert people to the fact that there may be additional danger.
19 RN 52 This Land Rover is being unloaded from a transporter plane. It is an older vehicle and has just one rotating blue beacon on the roof. Notice that is has a Royal Navy registration plate.
A line up of nine vehicles used by the Nuclear Accidents Response Group, including Ford Ivecos, Land Rovers Defenders and Ford Transits.
