Defender to the rescue — 70 years on

It’s 70 years since Land Rover teamed up with the Red Cross, supplying its Defender off-road vehicle to help bring aid where it is needed most.

Defender can trace its roots back to the very first series Land Rover, which made its world debut at the Amsterdam Motor Show in April, 1948 and entered service with the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in 1954.

This year marks 70 years since that first vehicle, a specially adapted model used as a mobile dispensary, went into service in the deserts of Dubai.

Locally, Defender has stood with Australian Red Cross since 2014 providing support through some of Australia’s toughest times.

The strong and capable Defender is at the forefront of this partnership, supporting disaster recovery and emergency service efforts.

Formed after the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, Australian Red Cross has played a pivotal role in supporting Australians for 110 years. with more than 15,000 members and volunteers across the country.

In the past year, Australian Red Cross has supported 324,000 people before, during and after disasters, trained 53,000 people in first aid, helped 19,700 through migration support programs and provided 215,000 hours of support to older or vulnerable people.

To celebrate the Australian Red Cross’s 110th anniversary, up to 50 well-known landmarks across Australia, as well as selected Defender retailers, will light up in red as a visible tribute to the people that the Australian Red Cross have stood beside through crises, and a thank you to everyone who has helped make their vital work possible – past, present and future.

Today, Defender’s commitment to supporting communities in crisis continues with the announcement of its latest flagship project, appropriately located in Italy, the birthplace of the world’s largest humanitarian organisation, 160 years ago.

During a celebration to mark the start of the Movement first envisioned 160 years ago, by founder Henry Dunant in Solferino, a specially equipped Defender 130 emergency response vehicle has been handed over to the Italian Red Cross.

Fitted with advanced satellite communications hardware, the 130 will provide continuous, nationwide connection and access in some of the most hard-to reach, disaster-hit locations in the country.

The new vehicle has been modified with the support of Italian Red Cross specialists to handle extraordinary emergencies and will ensure the mobilisation of relief efforts is never compromised by cellular network outages – a common issue during environmental disasters, such as floods and mudslides.

The pioneering project incorporates the use of satellite technology through a dish mounted on the roof of the vehicle.

The technology is already used in the static emergency units of the Italian Red Cross but will be deployed for the first time on a mobile unit via Defender 130 Outbound, which is ready to tackle the roughest terrain and most challenging conditions.

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The vehicle will also be equipped with a winch and tow hook, allowing it to make full use of Defender 130 Outbound’s 3000kg towing capacity.

Defender works with the British Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), helping vulnerable communities prepare for, respond to and recover from crises around the world.

Across seven decades, the partnership is estimated to have positively impacted the lives of over 2 million people in more than 50 countries.