A 1991 Pinzgauer Fire Engine returns home to Worcester’s specialist fire-fighting vehicle manufacturers, Carmichaels, after 15 years with Essex Fire Brigade; but this lively engine won’t be going into retirement. The Carmichael team has restored its outer bodywork and completely stripped and refurbished the inside to create a useable ambulance for local homecare provider, Cleeve Link.
Director, Rob Flexer comments, “Cleeve Link is well known in Worcestershire and surrounding counties for its fleet of off-road vehicles. During last winter’s bad weather the 4x4s came into their own and we managed to not only meet 100% of our own scheduled home visits to the elderly, but we also helped out Gloucester County Council and NHS teams that were struggling to get around. Carmichaels has done a brilliant job in restoring the Pinzgauer to its former glory and now we are even more ready to tackle floods and snow.”
The Pinzgauer was originally built by British Aerospace under Licence from Pinzgauer in Austria with the body work and specialist fittings by Carmichaels. Back in the Carmichaels’ bodyshop they worked hard to turn it into, what has been rated by authorities, as an ‘ambulance’. Mr Flexer continues, “The quality and professionalism Carmichaels has brought to the project has been outstanding and we’re pleased it has been a joint county venture. It will now do its job and will hopefully help the elderly, especially those in hard to reach areas.”
With recent County Council home care job cuts, reassurance of continuity of service from private home care providers such as Cleeve Link has never been more important and the company leads the way in offering the elderly community choice, independence and guarantees of excellent service levels. Mr Flexer continues, “Our clients and the authorities depended on us last year and we are more than ready this year to help out wherever needed.”