Scotch Plains adds emergency response vehicle to help crews reach residents during severe weather
The SHERP is an amphibious all-terrain vehicle capable of driving through floodwaters, climbing over obstacles and traveling through snow while carrying first responders, rescue equipment and up to six people.
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When roads are flooded or blocked by downed trees, getting help where it’s needed can be a challenge. That’s why the Scotch Plains Fire Department has added a new emergency response vehicle designed to go where traditional vehicles can’t.
The SHERP is an amphibious all-terrain vehicle capable of driving through floodwaters, climbing over obstacles and traveling through snow while carrying first responders, rescue equipment and up to six people.
Deputy Fire Chief Skip Paal, says the department originally began searching for a flood rescue vehicle after experiencing severe weather events in recent years. But many of the options they considered were expensive and limited to specific emergencies.
“We were able to find the SHERP,” Paal said. “It’s more seen in the wilderness in Alaska and Canada, but it’s proved to be a perfect solution for some of the challenges we experience here.”
Unlike traditional rescue operations that require crews to tow a boat to the scene and prepare safety equipment before entering the water, firefighters can drive the SHERP directly from the firehouse. If floodwaters become too deep, the vehicle floats and paddles itself across the water.
The vehicle can also adjust its tire pressure to travel over snow and rough terrain without sinking. During a powerful storm that struck the township on July 3, just days after the department took delivery of the vehicle, crews were able to drive over downed trees and reach blocked streets that would have otherwise taken valuable time to clear.
“In the past, we would have had to pull the fire engine up, take out a chainsaw, cut pieces of the tree out of the way and push them out of the way to get down the street,” Paal said. “During the July 3 storm, we were able to simply drive over those trees.”
The department says the vehicle will be especially helpful in flood-prone areas near Route 22, where residents can become trapped in their homes or businesses during heavy rainstorms. It can also be used to rescue injured hikers in wooded areas and transport patients on backboards when ambulances cannot reach them.
The SHERP can travel up to 25 mph on pavement and four knots on water. Firefighters say it takes about 30 minutes for operators to become familiar with the vehicle, followed by several hours of hands-on training.
The vehicle was funded primarily through the township’s capital improvement budget, with the remaining cost covered through insurance cost recovery funds.
Paal says the department first learned about the SHERP after seeing another emergency response agency using one in a News 12 report. Now, he says, it’s helping ensure first responders can reach residents no matter what conditions they face.
“The biggest advantage to this vehicle is that no matter what nature throws at us, we’re going to be able to get there,” Paal said.
