The truck unit is one of five in New Zealand, collectively worth about $1.5 million, and will be based in Dunedin at the central fire station.
It allowed Red Cross to mobilise resources in emergencies and provide bedding, basic hygiene and comfort to those displaced or evacuated.
The truck carried 140 camp stretcher beds with foam rolls, blankets and pillows as well as five portable cots, urns for hot drinks, and toiletries including nappies, toothbrushes and sanitary items.
In addition to the trucks, Red Cross had 18 new compatible trailers, each with further resources including 50 beds.
A trailer was based in Dunedin and another in Queenstown.
Red Cross national president Jenny McMahon, of Dunedin, said the agency was ''delighted'' to be able to offer the public a ''bigger, more successful and collaborative'' service.
''We are building our skills, network and capabilities to assist in emergency response. Emergency management up and down the country is even better,'' she said.
Red Cross South Island emergency management officer Stephen Manson, of Christchurch, said the new units and trailers were prompted by the Canterbury earthquakes.
Previously, the organisation did not have such mobility or such an amount of quality resources, he said.
''New Zealand Red Cross has really made a huge effort for the whole civil defence sector, and therefore the public, to have these items available. Local authorities don't tend to have these items ready to go, so it's just part of that multi-agency response and doing our bit.''
Funding from international Red Cross partner agencies paid for the new equipment, he said.
The truck units could also be used as command posts at welfare centres or any emergency in which people were displaced or evacuated.
''That might be a police shooting, rural fire, flood or earthquake. The trucks also have mass casualty equipment and pre-hospital emergency equipment, and two of the trucks have urban search and rescue equipment as well,'' Mr Manson said.
The truck was too tall be housed at the Dunedin Red Cross centre, but its placement at the central fire station was mutually beneficial.
Fire Service East Otago area manager Laurence Voight said it was great to know what capability Red Cross had so the agencies could work together.
''The beauty of having this vehicle on site is it complements our vehicles and response to various incidents and gives our guys an opportunity to see exactly what's carried within, so it can be dispatched if required. What's being identified is it's good for emergency response vehicles to work together for a common good, as opposed to working in silos,'' he said.
