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Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue expands fleet with Kodiaqs

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue has expanded its vehicle fleet with Kodiaq SUVs, fully prepared for duty thanks to a Škoda approved converter, which will be used by the service for flexible duty officer transport when attending incidents.

Image courtesy Newspress

The Kodiaqs, now part of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue fleet, are the first Škodas to be used by the service. The SUV features a 2.0-litre TDI 200 PS engine with DSG transmission and all-wheel drive, providing a blend of performance and efficiency with plenty of power and torque.

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Used across a range of functions, the Škoda Kodiaqs used by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue will be undertaking flexible duty officer transport duties when they need to attend operational incidents, such as road traffic collisions and hazardous material incidents.

The cars have been converted by one of Škoda’s approved conversion specialists Pressfab EVO Limited, to meet their specific requirements – particularly around the practical load area with grille and fire extinguishing apparatus – plus the fitment of blue-lights and fully integrated communications equipment.

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Colin Carter, Fleet Operations Manager, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We have opted for a fleet of Kodiaqs largely due to the amount of space on offer inside. The large boot has enough room for all of the equipment required by our flexible duty fire officers, and the option of having the cars converted by Škoda’s approved converters prior to delivery makes it much easier for us to get the vehicles into service.”

Škoda cars can be specified by emergency fleets for Ambulance, Police and Fire and Rescue teams across the UK via Škoda’s bespoke emergency service converters. This includes integration of the emergency services’ communications platform within the infotainment touchscreen and 360-degree lighting. Individual conversion requirements can also be catered for with Škoda’s approved specialist converters.

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