The Hope Technik LF5G “Red Rhino” is based off a Chevy Colorado-cousin Isuzu D-Max, but with no doors and a giant water pump on the back it looks a whole lot cooler. And you thought you crammed a lot of accessories onto you Ranger back in high school.

The Singapore Civil Defense Force commissioned this little baby from Hope Technik, a Singaporean engineering outfit that builds all kinds of equipment and vehicles.

Red Rhino is designed for urban rescue situations, where more cumbersome fire apparatuses can’t get to quickly or efficiently.

Five first responders can clown-car into this thing along with medical equipment, a water pump, fire suppressing foam and rescue tools.

A paper explains that the truck is in its fifth-generation, with a focus on ergonomics and easy egress. That might be why they cut the doors off.

The truck runs a 2.5 liter twin turbo diesel engine which can be switched between duties of propelling the truck and powering the water pump at the push of a button; one of Hope Technik’s proudest achievements on the vehicle.

To make the most of a small space, foam tanks are tucked into the front fenders. That also helps weight distribution in balancing the heavy equipment in the cargo box. Pumping components are packed in tight to make more room for passengers, while there’s easy access to a medical gear compartment and two Compressed Air Foam System backpacks.

Crew complement is supposed to be four fire fighters and one paramedic, who would get pretty comfortable with each other wearing turnout gear in the compact cabin.

When I was a volunteer at a rural fire department in Upstate New York, we spent the most time responding with a Ford F-450 called a “utility.” This would carry a crew of five plus rescue gear, a small water tank with pumping capabilities, and a big winch bumper for doing heavy lifting.

The Red Rhino could do almost all of that with a much smaller physical footprint and presumably lower running costs. To say nothing of the fact that most brush fires would have burned themselves out by the time our Power Stroke chugged us to the scene. (Not really, but that truck wasn’t quick.)

Images via Hope Technik

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