Austrian Red Cross adds Land Rover Discovery control centre to its fleet

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Land Rover has created a life-saving Discovery mobile command centre for the Austrian Red Cross disaster response team.

The 18-month collaboration between Special Vehicle Operations and the Red Cross focused on designing a mobile nerve centre equipped with the latest communication technology.

The Discovery is fitted with four radio antennae, 360-degree lighting and a carbon fibre load space. In the roof is an advanced eight-rotor drone fitted with a long-range thermal imaging camera, which relays live footage straight to a touchscreen display in the vehicle and allows responders to obtain precise co-ordinates.

Michael van der Sande, Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations, said the relationship with the Red Cross goes beyond vehicles and helping to save lives in disaster zones. He added:

“Over the past 18 months our engineers, have worked closely with the emergency response team at the Austrian Red Cross, deploying Land Rover’s technology and talent to create a unique solution to the requirements of the Red Cross in the region.”

Dr Jemilah Mahmood, Under Secretary General for Partnerships for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said the organisation is proud to be working with Land Rover to build resilience in communities around the world in the face of natural disasters. He added:

“The Discovery Emergency Response Vehicle is yet another result of our strong global partnership that brings together the best expertise of the Red Cross and Land Rover in one unique vehicle, which will make a difference in rescue operations in the harshest conditions.”

Supporting the Red Cross in Indonesia

In light of the devastating earthquake and tsunami to hit Indonesia last week, the country is struggling with supplies as clean water and food are already running low. Already the Red Cross is on the ground searching and helping survivors.

But our global humanitarian partner, the Red Cross, needs more support to help the people caught in this crisis. To make a donation please visit Land Rover’s appeal page here.