Two specialised road crash rescue vehicles will be delivered to north-east Tasmania within the next 12 months after the State Emergency Service (SES) secured $120,000 in funding.
The Motor Accidents Insurance Board Foundation announced the grant for the St Marys and St Helens SES units on Thursday, as it opened applications for its 2026–27 funding round.
The 7.5-tonne heavy rescue vehicles will be fitted with electric rescue tools designed to extract crash victims and give paramedics faster access to patients.
MAIB CEO Paul Kingston said the foundation had invested more than $1.2 million across 15 organisations and projects this financial year.
“The foundation funding helps open up new approaches to get access to those services,” he said.
Applications are now open for individuals, organisations and community groups to apply for next year’s grants.
SES executive director Mick Lowe said the funding would fast-track the rollout of rescue capability in an area with challenging road conditions.
“This is absolutely essential for us to ensure that our volunteers are as supported as they can be as they support their community in their times of need,” he said.
Each vehicle costs just under $200,000 when fully equipped.
Lowe said having the right tools at crash scenes could be the difference between life and death.
“When there is a crash, the sooner that we can get a paramedic to a patient, to someone in need, the more chances people have of a good outcome for that person that’s involved,” he said.
Local Government Minister Kerry Vincent said the investment was vital for regional areas, where 63% of major crashes occur.
“To have the volunteers … in country areas to have equipment like this to be able to service their communities … is vital for the future of the safety of Tasmanian people,” he said.
The SES has been rolling out the heavy rescue vehicles across the state over the past two years.
