The Emergency Communications Response Vehicle (ECRV) is a specially equipped Ford Excursion 4x4 designated as a disaster telecommunications vehicle. The Ford Excursions were donated to the American Red Cross by the Ford Motor Company. Each ECRV has been outfitted with state-of-the-art telecommunications equipment to support a Disaster Relief Operation Headquarters or other facility for the first 72 hours after the onset of a disaster.

How many ECRV's are in the national fleet? 

There are nine ECRV's strategically placed around the country. The ECRV's have been pre-positioned in custodial chapters, which have been selected to allow for rapid deployment to the scene of a disaster anywhere in the continental United States within 12 hours.

What are the ECRV's used for?

The ECRV's can be deployed to the scene of such disasters as floods, fires, hurricanes and tornadoes to assist with the implementation of telecommunications in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. Additional uses might include hurricane watch headquarters or aviation incidents allowing for temporary telephones to be installed without phone line installation costs.

What types of support can the ECRV's provide?

Each truck is equipped to be fully self-contained with an assortment of specialized equipment to provide telecommunications support to a disaster relief operation for the first 72 hours. The following is standard equipment on the vehicle: 
Front Console:
• Icom IS-706 MK II-G
• Bendix-King EMV, 114ch (403-470 UHF)
• Bendix-King GMH, 240ch (136-174 VHF)
• Vertex FTL1011BH/99 47MHz
• Midland 79-290 CB
• Uniden BC780xlt Scanner
• LEO Satellite Telephone
• Cingular Wireless Cell Phone
• Nextel Wireless Unit
Rear Console:
• Bendix-King EMV, 114ch (403-470 UHF)
• Bendix-King GMH, 240ch (136-174 VHF)
• RELM Plus RMU45NB, 45ch (450-512 UHF)
• Vertex FTL1011BH/04 47MHz
• Uniden BC780xlt Scanner
• Motorola Micom 2E
• Kenwood TS-2000
• 500-watt RF amplifier

• VSAT satellite system
• Datron DSS system
• Davis Weather Station
• JPS (Raytheon) ACU1000 radio switch & phone patch system
• Toshiba VCR
• Mast Camera

What other sorts of equipment does the ECRV have onboard?

In addition to the console equipment, the ECRV also carries:
Roof Deck
• 16 assorted radio antennas, mounted
• Storage under roof deck for additional antennas and mast sections
• A 52' pneumatic mast with N-type RF runs
• Yaesu antenna rotor
• PTZ remote control camera
• Datron automatic deployment DSS dish
• AMSC satellite phone antenna
• Davis weather station
• 12 NMO mounts
• AVL technologies Vsat dish
• Mosley TA-33 Jr. Tri-band HF Yagi antenna
Left Outside Compartment (I/O Panel)
• 12VDC tap
• 3 Antenna connections
• F-type connections for external V-sat dish
• DSS out
• Broadcast TV input
• 8 Analog phone lines in (connect to PSTN)
• 8 Analog phone lines out (VoIP from V-sat)
• Six network connections
• Mast Controls
• 2 120VAC GFCI outlets
Left Side
• SGC 1.8-30MHz 9' HF Whip
Right Side
• 47.42MHz Whip Antenna

Page Last Updated, 02/19/04