Wessex Fire & Rescue Service purchased an electric work buggy, The HiSun Sector 5kW from us back in early 2020. The team contacted us pre-pandemic looking for a fully electric 4×4 utility vehicle which they could use as a first response fire vehicle at large scale events and campsites.
To ensure The HiSun Sector 5kW was suitable as an emergency services vehicle, a few modifications were required, including adding emergency lighting and sirens along with full reflective markings to the exterior. Various extras were also added to house firefighting apparatus including six extinguishers, two portable water knapsacks, a water rescue floating line, two life jackets, Jafco fire beaters and first aid materials. With such a repertoire of equipment, the vehicle would be fully equipped as the first vehicle on scene. In fact, through such modifications the Wessex Fire & Rescue Service had actually created the original electric 4×4 fire vehicle in the UK.
Unfortunately, the purchase was just before the start of the pandemic which meant that as the events sector came to a standstill, the fire safety electric UTV, had to wait for its big unveiling.
This year it finally made it to an event, the Shambino festival, part of the Shambala events family. The event which took place at the end of August, brought together a streamlined version of the larger Shambala festival to accommodate for festival restrictions and safety during the pandemic. The event still included live music, workshops, poetry, art installations, the Shambala carnival, dance classes and circus performances. With such a variety of attractions, The UTV needed to be available and ready at a moment’s notice.
Event fire officer, Keith Allgood commented on the electric first responder vehicle
“We were keen but a little unsure whether going electric was the best choice to help at the events. We needed something which was big enough to transport the required equipment, but small enough to safely manoeuvre crowded areas. We looked at the feasibility asking ourselves if it would have enough power and whether it would cope for long periods of time at festival,” he continued. “The buggy’s performance was ideal. It had the capability of getting through tight spots, it was easy to charge, in fact one overnight charge lasted for four days. Plus being fully electric it helped with our carbon footprint at the event. For us we feel it’s the way forward.”
To learn more about how our electric UTVs can be modified to meet your own specifications, please get in touch by calling 01953 882175 or emailing enquiries@electric-wheels.co.uk.
