Ultimate Weather Response Vehicle (WRV)

My friend Jason and I are looking to build the Ultimate Weather Response vehicle. Living in the southeast we are plagued with bad weather. With hurricanes in the summer on the coast, to the severe thunderstorms and Tornadoes in the spring and fall, and the ice and snow in the winter we have a year round battle against nature. We have experienced and helped out in some of the worst storms in US history (Winter storm of 1993, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, The April tornadoes of 2011). We have done to the best of our abilities to help out those in need but we want to be able to do more. If we have a truck that is outfitted just for disaster relief we can help emergency crews get in and also take supplies into the areas where people need them most.

Jason (DOB 12/04/1983) has 7 years experience as a auto mechanic and automotive electrician that has all the experience needed to get this truck running without failure and has the experience to design and wire the accessories needed. His hands on electrical knowledge will be a driving force in getting this project underway. I have 4 years hydraulic experience and 8 years as a computer technician. I have been building things my whole life. I work with wood, steel, electrical you name it, I can do it. I am a natural born troubleshooter and problem solver and have worked in very high profile critical situations. With my problem solving and fabrication skills as well as my real life hands on skills there is no task I can not complete.My DOB is 6/19/1980

The following are the add ons we are going to perform to the vehicle with the prize money to make this the ultimate weather response vehicle:

Vehicle:1978  5/4 ton dodge crew cab forestry service will need minor repairs and updates for safety and reliability

Oversized tires and spares: This will give us the ability to drive over small debri
On-Board generators: We will use these to power the many accessories to help out those in need
Rescue auxillary lighting : One of the biggest problems lately with storms has been looters. With the ability to light up an area looters will not have places to hide in the dark.
Chainsaw mounts: This will be fabricated by me to hold multiple chainsaws for cutting away trees and debris.
Front loader bucket: We will install a small front loader bucket complete with hydraulics on the front of the truck. This will give us the opportunity to cut trees and move them or even use it to help pick things up off of trapped victims.      
Front and rear winches: This will give us the ability to drag and pull anything that needs to be moved from the road and it will also give us the ability to pull out vehicles that are stuck due to ice or mud.
First aid kit: We will carry a small first aid kit to be able to disperse non invasive first aids supplies for minor injuries.
EZ up shelters: When the heat is blazing down on you and there is no longer shelter people just need a few minutes of a break from the elements. These shelters can also be used with sides to block out rain and cold. People always need immediate places to get little ones in out of the elements.
Fuel storage tanks: We will have an onboard fuel storage tank to keep our saws and generators full so we can work around the clock.
Custom roof rack: we will fabricate a custom roof rack to give us the ability to carry more supplies and also give us a vantage point to see where we will be needed the most.
Multiple rechargeable lights: We can have these charged and ready to go when we have to get far away from the truck.
Ham Radio: This will give us the ability to communicate with emergency personnel
Weather radio: This will give us the ability to monitor the current weather situations.
Two-Way Radios: This will give us the ability to communicate with the volunteer crew.
Sattelite Phone:  This will give us the ability to make emergency calls when the phone towers are not working.       Cell Phone charging station: One thing that we have experienced is that when there is no power people cannot charge their phones. With a multiple charging station people can charge their phones to contact loved ones.              
GPS locator:  Linked to our website this will give people the ability to see what area we are working. They will have to ability to send an e-mail to our home base and give us messages to give to people they know in the area
Hand held GPS: This will give us the ability to find our way back to the truck.
Water filtration pumps:This will give us the ability to pump out water for people to clean up.
Onboard air compressor:  This will give us the ablilty to air up tires and provide air where needed.                                                    Misc. Safety Equipment: hard hats, chain saw chaps, gloves etc. to keep us safe when working.

We feel like all of these add ons will make this truck a great asset to the fight against inclement weather. There are ultimate vehicles that go out before and during storms that track storms but you never hear of a giant vehicle that comes out for cleanup. We want to be that beacon of light that shows up in the night that supplies the people with what they need to make it through the next few days. Some times it is the small things that make the biggest difference it times of tragedy. Please give us the opportunity to provide those small things to people in need. Thank you for your consideration.