North Otago Search and Rescue chairman Tony Wood and vice-chairman Mike Firman are leading the fundraising for the new unit, which they envisage would be multi-purpose - for land and marine search and rescue, civil defence and rural firefighting.
It would also be available to assist at large public events, such as the Duntroon School's annual motorbike trek.
However, the multi-purpose idea has hit a snag.
The Rural Fire Authority says the unit would not be suitable, nor would it fit its emergency radios, but Mr Firman said he hoped that would not affect a $25,000 pledge - still to be confirmed - the Waitaki District Council had made to the project.
That is included in about $70,000 already raised by grants, donations and from North Otago SAR's own financial resources.
North Otago SAR, which has about 70 volunteers, has an "old fashioned" small caravan as its mobile forward command unit, Mr Firman said.
That is supported by a covered trailer to carry equipment.
"What that means is every time we use it, we need two large vehicles to tow them."
Neither of the units were practical, given the modern technology and different search techniques now used, he said.
The caravan had been used "as a radio shack" based at Birchwood during the search for Mr Palmer in the Ahuriri Conservation Park.
A Dunedin fire command unit was used initially to help provide radio cover and was later replaced by the large, modern South Otago SAR command unit.
If North Otago had its own large, modern unit it would not have needed to bring resources and equipment from other areas, Mr Firman said.
The concept is to build a completely self-contained command unit on to a truck chassis, so it does not rely on tow vehicles and has the ability to reach remote areas.
A 6m long unit, at the front, would have a permanent communications room.
The rear would be "open plan" into which would be slid pods designed specifically for rural fire, civil defence or search and rescue, he said.
The new unit would be more suitable to modern needs, provide a faster response time and have the latest in radio and satellite communications.
