Rescue vehicle is a type of specialty firefighting or emergency medical services apparatus. They are primarily designed to provide the specialized equipment necessary for technical rescue situations such as traffic collisions requiring vehicle extrication, building collapses, confined space rescue, rope rescues and swiftwater rescues.[1] They carry an array of special equipment such as the Jaws of life, wooden cribbing, generators, winches, hi-lift jacks, cranes, cutting torches, circular saws and other forms of heavy equipment unavailable on standard trucks. This capability differentiates them from traditional pumper trucks or ladder trucks designed primarily to carry firefighters and their entry gear as well as on-board water tanks, hoses and equipment for fire extinguishing and light rescue. Most heavy rescue vehicles lack on-board water tanks and pumping gear, owing to their specialized role, but some do carry on-board pumps in order to broaden their response capability.

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