Salvation Army to launch new emergency response vehicle

The Salvation Army will this week unveil a new state-of-the-art vehicle to respond to emergencies in the west of Scotland.  

Leaders of the church and charity will be joined by members of the police, fire and rescue, and ambulance service to launch the distinctive red van at a dedication service on Friday March 3.     

The Salvation Army has a long history of supporting communities in times of need - and the vehicle will enable the organisation to continue providing on-site refreshments and emotional support to responders at an incident.  

A commissioning and dedication service will take place at The Salvation Army’s West Scotland Divisional HQ on Friday March 3 from 10am.  

Major Ian Patrick is the organisation's emergency services officer. He is based in Glasgow and was part of The Salvation Army’s emergency response at Lockerbie, the Stockline factory blast in Maryhill and the Clutha helicopter crash in Glasgow.  

Major Ian said: “As a church and a charity we are here to provide practical and spiritual help to those in need. We see our support for emergency personnel and local communities at emergencies as a vital part of our work.”  

Major Raelton Gibbs, the Salvation Army’s Divisional Commander in the west of Scotland, said: “The dedication of Salvation Army volunteers and officers in responding to emergencies is one of our assets. They are able to respond any time of the day or night to support the frontline work of our emergency services.  

"The men and women of the emergency services often put their lives at risks so we look to do what we can to make their jobs easier."   

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Williams, Police Scotland, said: "We are delighted to work with the Salvation Army, who have provided support for many years to the emergency services during major incidents and emergencies.  

"The launch of this new emergency response vehicle will be a key asset to the Salvation Army, and will assist Police Scotland and other blue light services during times of need."  

Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Peter Heath, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said: “The tradition and support given by the Salvation Army has been highly valued over many years. We look forward to continuing to work with the Salvation Army in support of community and firefighter safety.”