SAR Vehicle Must-Haves..

[Something]

In building a SAR Vehicle from scratch, what are must have add-ons/mods?

Basically, what makes a good SAR Vehicle?

[BriansFJ]

Well, I think this begs the question: What do you intend to do with your personal vehicle during SAR?

I personally use my vehicel to either a) drive to where there has been an incident or to start a search or b) actually use it for searching 4x4 trails and other rough terrain.

My priorities were in this general order, some concurrently:

1. Communications - you can't effectively do much in SAR without the ability to talk to the rest of your team or other responders. For my team, this involved VHF team radios as well as mobile ham.

2. Your personal equipment - make sure you can carry it all, and that it is organized for how you intend to use it.

3. The ability to travel on appropriate terrain - this will depend on "your neck of the woods". Here in Colorado there isn't much mud or sand, so my mods focused mostly on medium to medium-hard 4x4 trails, but not to the extreme of rock crawling. My personal vehicle received aggressive tires, a mild 2" lift, and a real steel bumper and rock rails.

4. The ability to recover yourself or others - I started out with snatch straps, come-alongs, and a Hi-Lift winch adapter, and when finances allowed I bought a winch for the aforementioned bumper. This does not, however, reduce the responsibility to avoid getting stuck in the first place, as this can really delay mission response.

5. Quality off-road anf fog lighting - because you will invariably end up searching in the dark and in bad weather.

This is just what I came up with off-hand; I'm curious as to what others respond with. Good topic!

[Something]

keep in mind, as my other thread states, I'm new to this....BUT...

From what I've learned from other members, each assignment varies with terrain, of course, but it could range from being parked at a trailhead doing traffic control although to some pretty serious offroading terrain. Around these parts is mainly logging roads which include a lot of rocks (The Keystone State).

Therefore, good armour is a necessary...in the form of sliders, steel bumpers, and skid plates.

Communications a given. GPS a bonus.

Good lighting I'm assuming is paramount...as many 'missions' will be at night.
All aspects of lighting to be addressed including interior, front, rear, side. Some safety lighting as the 'RaginRabbi''s amber emergency lights. The purpose of these for a PV being for at-scene visibility rather than enroute 'license to speed'.

[gary in ohio]

Good lighting I'm assuming is paramount...as many 'missions' will be at night.
All aspects of lighting to be addressed including interior, front, rear, side. Some safety lighting as the 'RaginRabbi''s amber emergency lights. The purpose of these for a PV being for at-scene visibility rather than enroute 'license to speed'.

Be careful, check your state laws regarding any emergency lighting. IN some states even volunteer firemen can run lights. KNow your rules as well as rules in surrounding states. Even an amber light bar can get you in trouble.

Know what your SAR sponsoring organization permits.

[Something]

Be careful, check your state laws regarding any emergency lighting. IN some states even volunteer firemen can run lights. KNow your rules as well as rules in surrounding states. Even an amber light bar can get you in trouble.

Know what your SAR sponsoring organization permits.

true..good advice..varies by state.

[offroad_nomad]

I'm assuming you're using your '08 Nissan Frontier. Is this truck stock or have modified the suspension, added new tires and etc to increase its offroad capabilities?

In building a SAR Vehicle from scratch, what are must have add-ons/mods?

Basically, what makes a good SAR Vehicle?

[Something]

Yes. I'm using my Frontier.

Truck is all stock except:

2" over stock with 33" M/T's
K&N Filter
Garmin GPS unit

[jeepmedic46]

I was wondering the same thing myself. I'm building up a 04 Liberty sport. Good advice from everybody.

[BriansFJ]

I think the Frontier can make an excellent SAR platform. If you haven't already, check this Frontier-specific thread out: http://expeditionportal.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=18311

and this one: http://expeditionportal.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=18904

Happy modding!

[Cypher]

As a Frontier owner my self, I would say make sure you get skids, rock sliders, and bumpers for your truck.

Sliders are going to be important with your LB wheelbase, since my CC SB spends a decent amount of time on the sliders. Get a steel gas tank skid first, then an engine/oil pan skid. Then work on getting the other skids after that. Make sure you have good recovery points front and rear. The front factory tow hook does just fine. If you have a receiver hitch in the rear, get a d-ring shackle hitch attachment. Otherwise see if you can pick up a spare front hook since they will also bolt into the frame on either side in the rear. Consider doing something different with you spare tire. Believe me, it is not fun trying to get that spare out from under the truck when you need it in the middle of a trail on an obstacle. Consider mounting it in the bed.

To add to the other stuff, I would say: shovel(s), axe, hi-lift, excellent first aid kit, survival gear, water, food, communications (CB, HAM, handheld comm), recovery gear in general, tools, air compressor or CO2 tank, fire extinguisher(s), etc...