The heavy rescue vehicle should be a USAR truck

    I think there is a mismatch between the "Heavy rescue" vehicle, the new SAR and technical equipment and the way we have used the heavy rescue vehicle since the beginning of the game.

    According to the missions where it is needed in the game, the heavy rescue vehicle would often be named a "USAR" truck in several fire departments. In any case, it should carry SAR and technical rescue equipment by default and we shouldn't have to add this equipment to it.

    SAR and technical rescue equipment should be allowed in fire engines, trucks, fly cars, utility units or ems rescues for instance, or in any vehicle if you want to simplify the game. But please, consider changing the name of the heavy rescue or at least have SAR and technical rescue equipment by default in it, like in real life.

    My take:


    Heavy rescues do more than just SAR. I am in rhode island so we call them "Special Hazards" (no its not hazmat, its a rhode island thing dont ask). The hazards jobs include: Search (at fires), rope rescue, MVAs, tech rescue, medicals, RIT, service calls, hazmat (usually tech level guys, not an actual hazmat team although most guys on hazards are also on hazmat tech teams), SAR, and basically anything else a ladder company would do. We have specific teams and vehicles that are state and locally run that are for SAR. [Blocked Image: https://www.firenews.org/ri/p/providence/ProvidenceRISH1-2022.jpg]

    Here is a picture of the special hazards from Providence.

    [Blocked Image: https://www.firenews.org/ri/w/warwick/WarwickRITechRescue-2020.jpg]

    Here is the state USAR/Heavy Rescue task force located in warwick. This is what a SAR unit would be considered in the game, and what would actually carry all the equipment.

    [Blocked Image: https://www.firenews.org/ri/efg/eastprovidence/EastProvidenceRITechRescue-2023.jpg]

    Here is another picture of another "SAR/heavy rescue task force" unit from East Providence, also part of the state HR task force.


    So, TL;DR: Dont change the name, but maybe put the equipment on it, and maybe require training to use it as a SAR vehicle.

    With the exception of Southern California - most departments have separate USAR and Heavy Rescue units (if they have a dedicated USAR unit at all). In most cases, I think it is better categorized as most departments having TRT capable vehicles which is what Heavy Rescue has more association with that actual USAR. For me, it is appropriate that the TRT equipment is separate of the vehicle itself since the way rescues are called for in missions 75% of them are more light rescue/truck company calls and so the TRT becomes a realistic addition to the truck as "specialized equipment".


    Or at least that is my take.

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