Acela Truck Company has delivered three of its high water flood rescue trucks to the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Office of Emergency Management.
The VHA is the nation’s largest integrated healthcare system, providing care to more than 9 million U.S. Veterans at 1,293 healthcare facilities, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). These trucks will be used by the VHA Office of Emergency Management that continually serves the nation’s veterans by preparing for and responding to emergencies and disasters to assure their continued care.
The Acela Monterra high water flood rescue trucks will be used by the Office of Emergency Management to prepare for and respond to high water and flooding disasters at key facilities that experience flooding incidents.
“With the frequency of flooding continuing to be top of mind for emergency preparedness organizations across the country, we’re extremely proud to supply the Veterans Health Administration Office of Emergency Management with these incredibly capable trucks,” stated David Ronsen, president of Acela Truck Company. “These trucks allow them to provide unparalleled service to veterans and hospitals that the VA serves. It is an honor to be chosen by the VA to deliver this new product, and it demonstrates our ability to produce a new standard of capability to this market.”
With 46-inch tires, 23 inches of ground clearance, an all-wheel-drive drivetrain, waterproof alternator and starter and proprietary water fording capabilities, the Acela Monterra’s specialized flood rescue variants are capable of fording 50 inches of water while safely carrying up to 20 seated passengers with ample room, payload and securements for wheelchairs, stretchers, personal property or rescue gear along with liftgates and canopies. The Acela Monterra line of trucks are also capable of safely responding at top highway speeds of 74 MPH, making them perfectly suitable for long-distance response.
Acela’s high water flood rescue truck products were inspired by company president, David Ronsen, a retired firefighter who spent many years as a field-deployed FEMA operations attaché, responding to dozens of catastrophic flooding events. “I know first-hand how frustrating it is for local fire, law enforcement, EMS, EMA and Search and Rescue (SAR) agencies to be faced with the challenges of having to rescue thousands of their customers without proper flood rescue equipment,” says Ronsen. “Our product design team committed to designing an incredibly capable new tool for first responders to reliably and safely impact hundreds of people a day … the result is a true game-changer.”
The Acela Monterra line of trucks were originally designed for U.S. Army use and are considered to be the most capable wheeled vehicles available in North America. In addition to flood rescue operations, Monterra trucks can be used for multiple disaster response scenarios, including tornados and earthquakes, easily traveling over or through large debris. They are also commonly used for brush and wildland fire engines, Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) support vehicles, cargo haulers, and SAR/SWAT team troop carriers in rural and urban environments. Monterras come standard with bumper-to-bumper parts and labor warranty. Additional options include warning and scene lighting packages, rescue boat transport capabilities, rain tarps, crew intercom systems and drone technology.
To learn more, visit acelatruck.com.
