V7 ADC This vehicle is owned privately and operated on a voluntary basis by one of the society officers for use by the Glasgow Humane Society.
The rear view showing the orange and blue chevrons, red LED double lights inside the back window and a tow bar for towing boats and equipment.
FH07 OES Leicestershire FRS use this silver Ford Transit Connect as an Urban Search and Rescue Dog Unit. The Leicestershire International SAR Team has two dogs and two dog handlers that are used in the UK and overseas.
The rear view. The van is air conditioned for the dogs’ comfort. The unit has seen service at building collapses, major transport incidents, explosions, construction accidents, and natural disasters.
LC10 ZTU A Honda Dueville that is operated by Network Rail. It is fitted with amber flashing lights and can cut through traffic to get to railway incidents.
The rear view.
The Canal and Rivers Trust use this Orkadian 20 vessel called Yorkshire Ranger to patrol the waterways. It still carries the old branding of ‘British Waterways’.
The rear view of the vessel showing the clear ‘enforcement’ wording.
HF12 FYX A Peugeot 308 that carries a Sector Manager for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
The rear view of the 1.6-litre petrol Peugeot. Notice on the side how the signage is just ‘coastguard’ rather than ‘HM coastguard’ seen on the front and rear of the car.
HF51 LVR A Nissan Terrano II that is based on Northumberland’s Holy Island or Lindisfarne. The island can be accessed by a causeway twice a day during low tide, but outside of these times it is a true island.
The rear view. Notice the red lights integrated into the roof light bar. In the background is the small base for the vehicle.
Looking over the bonnet of the Terrano at Lindisfarne Castle, one of many castles down the Northumberland coastline.
M904 KJT This Nissan D21 pick-up is the sole Coastguard vehicle on the Northern Ireland island of Rathlin.
The rear view of the aging Nissan. When photographed in 2012 it still looks in great condition despite its 17 years.
FL56 UNR This is a Dog Control Ford Transit Connect that is operated by ‘Community Protection’ in Nottingham. This police-style service is a collaboration between Nottingham City Council and Nottingham Police.
The side view, showing the police-style markings. The service was created to tackle anti-social behaviour and environmental crime. Officers issue fines covering a range of misdemeanours.
FJ11 KKT A Skoda Octavia that is operated as part of the Community Protection service in Nottingham.
The rear view of the Skoda. It carries police-style markings but an amber light bar.
Cliff Rescue (2012): In this series of photographs we see how a minor cliff rescue operation is carried out by the Coastguard to rescue a small dog.
HF54 JPJ On receiving the 999 call for help, a Coastguard Nissan Navara makes its way to the scene using blue flashing lights.
A look at the side of the 4×4 as it parks up at the foot of the cliffs.
On the roof is a water rescue craft and inside is rope rescue equipment.
The single crew member climbs out and begins to appraise the situation.
Powerful binoculars are used to try and locate the dog. The view from the bottom of the cliff is much better than trying to look down from the top. The dog’s owners are at the top of the cliff and have just been accompanied by another Coastguard rope rescue team.
The team at the top of the cliff set up a tripod that will act an a ground anchor for lowering a cliff rescue team member.
The descent begins with bystanders keeping well clear of the winch area.
The rescuer makes his way 40 feet down the cliff but is still not near the dog.
The ground crew are in radio contact with the clifftop crew and help direct the abseil.
Behind a small hill, part way down the cliff, the rescuer picks up the dog and places it inside a red waterproof bag ready for hoisting. Due to the unpredictability of animals in this situation, it is completely enclosed in the bag with a small gap left for breathing.
One of the coastguard crew signals as the final part of the ascent is made.
The rescue is complete and the ecstatic owner is reunited with her errant pooch.
OE56 JPX This Airwave emergency response Land Rover Defender is seen here on standby. The black bag on the roof is removed to reveal a telescopic antenna. It also carries ‘lossy’ cabling that can be run down a tunnel and used as a repeater. This means that the emergency services’ radios can work anywhere underground if the cable is reasonably close by.
KM09 ZPG This is the Kent section of SERV’s Suzuki Hayabusa blood bike. It is used for routine transport of blood and blood products along with emergency response call outs and promotional work. It is fitted with blue lights and a bright colour scheme.
X999 PML A Land Rover Discovery 4 SDV6 GS in black that is used by MARS (Mercia Accident Rescue Service). It carries a personalised plate of 999 and the company’s initials.
The side view of the Land Rover showing the MARS logo and supported by Prometheus Medical Ltd.
The rear view of the Land Rover that covers Hertfordshire and Worcestershire.
LR06 ZHY This mint green Nissan Micra is used by a private doctor service in London.
The rear view of the Micra showing the company advertising.
Closest to the camera is St Oswald, a fisheries patrol vessel based in North Shields. It carries a fast rigid inflatable boat to quickly approach fishing boats and climb aboard for inspections.
Moored alongside it is a Royal Navy vessel HMS Example, a patrol and training vessel attached to the Northumbria University Royal Naval Unit. HMS Example is part of the 1st Patrol Boat Squadron (1PBS).
LK56 KJF An unusual use for green flashing lights is shown here on these two cars on the Crown Estate in Windsor. The wardens’ cars are a Ford Fiesta and a Vauxhall Astra. The Fiesta in the foreground also has two white spotlights on the roof.
This is Rescue Water Craft 15 (RWC-015), part of the RNLI’s beach lifeguard service.
A closer look at the side of the craft.
Here a demonstration shows how the float at the rear is sued to carry people back to shore.
A rear look at the float that is covered in handles to help people pull themselves onto it.
A very simple method of transport is this RNLI Lifeguard surf board. It is held in a special cradle and is picked up by lifeguards as they run from the lookout post to the sea.
J108092 The Jersey Coastguard use this dark blue Subaru Forester. It is fitted with a dual-colour light bar of amber and blue. It follows a similar colour scheme to the Her Majesty’s Coastguard in mainland UK.
The rear view of the Forester.
J13894 Jersey Customs use this silver Honda CRV for their Customs and Immigration Service.
The rear view, showing the service’s crest and the all-amber light bar.
14576 This Land Rover Defender is used by the Civil Defence service on the island of Guernsey. On the roof is an amber light bar, a green rotating beacon and a white searchlight. Green flashing beacons are permitted on Guernsey for all voluntary emergency services when responding to calls, including when travelling to their base for a call out.
SF05 NLU This DAF LF truck is used for bomb disposal work. It is shown here in a partially covert mode with no exterior writing visible. Fold-down and magnetic signs reveal its use. The vehicle operates in this partially covert mode so as not to alarm the public and to help avoid it becoming a focus for attack.
The rear view.
This red Massey-Ferguson 240 is used as an emergency doctor vehicle on the small Channel Island of Sark. Notice the ‘doctor’ sign on the sun visor and the LED flashing lights on the windscreen.
The rear view. The rear plate reads ‘doctor’ as it is normal to have the owner’s name shown in place of any official registration plate system on the island. The red box is the patient transportation system! It consists of one seat and a storage box. It is lifted off the ground when the tractor is in motion. The cab only has one seat so this bespoke box is essential to transport patients.
Here is the vehicle in use on a misty day showing the red and blue flashing lights.
53802 This car is believed to have been used for a multi-country ramshackle rally. It carries a blue light bar that has been covered up and ‘Mello Yello’ advertising.
The rear view of the Honda Legend showing ‘wild beaver patrol’ wording.
HG56 LNY This Land Rover Defender is used by the RNLI to drive team members to the nearby lifeboat and to tow smaller craft. It is seen here outside the base in Larne. Notice the additions of a front winch (covered), two spotlights and a tow hook on the front.
The rear view of the Land Rover. It has two further spotlights on the rear and carries no high visibility markings.
Lifeboat 17-30 is named RNLB William Gordon Burr. It is based at Portrush, County Armagh.
The stern view.
Lifeboat 17-04 is called the Spirit of Guernsey and is based at St. Peter Port on the Channel Island.
The stern view of the Severn Class vessel.
J25313 This red Honda all-terrain vehicle is used to quickly move around large beaches by RNLI lifeguards.
The in use, as seen from the rear.
J25190 This Mitsubishi L200 is used on the beaches of Jersey by the RNLI as a lifeguard vehicle.
The car tows this jetski that is used to reach swimmers or surfers in trouble. The yellow float attached to the rear is for rescuees to pull themselves onto for a lift back to land.
The rear view as the car surveys the sea. As the tide ebbs and flows, the car moves to stay near the water’s edge.
In this shot, the same L200 demonstrates its 4×4 capabilities by driving through shallow water to the bemusement of two surfers.
J81532 This is a RNLI Beach Lifeguard Mitsubishi L200 4×4. Notice the surfboard, amber light bar and two loudspeakers for safety announcements.