A Pierce® Volterra™ electric pumper is in production and will go into service with the City of Portland Fire and Rescue’s busiest station, Station No. 1 in Spring 2022.

APPLETON, Wis. (October 6, 2021) – Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) company, announced today it has entered into a joint development agreement with the City of Portland, Oregon Fire and Rescue to place a Pierce® Volterra™ zero-emissions pumper into service with the city’s busiest station, Station No. 1 in Spring 2022. This agreement follows the recent introduction of the revolutionary Pierce Volterra platform of electric vehicles for the fire and emergency market and the placement of the first electric fire truck in service in North America with the City of Madison, Wisconsin Fire Department in June 2021.

In 2019, Portland General Electric announced the launch of its Smart Grid Test Bed, a first-of-its-kind project that integrates smart grid technology on a scale never before attempted in the U.S. The project will accelerate the community’s vision for clean energy with new ways to decarbonize the grid. Oregon is one of seven U.S. states to put energy storage procurement targets into place.

Portland Fire and Rescue is led by Fire Chief Sara Boone and is made up of 31 fire stations which serve an area of 151 square miles and a population of over 650,000. Chief Boone considers the addition of Pierce’s Volterra electric pumper a significant contribution to the city’s sustainability efforts.

“In 2016, the city achieved its 2030 Environmental Performance Objective for Fleet when 35-percent of fuel use came from renewable sources,” stated Chief Boone. “Fleet electrification is expected to be a primary driver of carbon emissions reduction from city vehicles, and exploring the role of the Pierce Volterra electric pumper within our fire apparatus fleet is a big step toward reaching our future goals.”

In collaboration with the City of Portland Fire and Rescue, Pierce will continue the development and evaluation process for the Pierce Volterra electric vehicle. As part of this development process, the City of Portland’s terrain, weather, and geographic location will provide valuable exposure and insight to additional operational environments the electric vehicle must withstand.

Portland Fire and Rescue’s Volterra Electric Vehicle Configuration:
• Enforcer™ custom chassis
• Expanded occupant space and visibility
• Seating capacity: 6
• GVWR: 42,000 lb
• TAK-4® Independent Front Suspension
• 1,500-GPM single stage pump
• 500-Gallon water tank
• Compartmentation: 150 cu ft plus ladder storage
• Hose capacity: 1000’ of 5” / 850’ of 2.5”
• 155 kW hour battery pack to meet Portland Fire and Rescue’s daily duty cycle

Volterra Electric Vehicle Operation:
• An Oshkosh patented parallel-electric drivetrain featuring an electro-mechanical infinitely variable transmission allows zero-emissions operation when powered by the integrated onboard batteries, and can be coupled to the internal combustion engine to provide continuous and uninterrupted power to the pumping system or drive system
• Exceptional operational range tailored to the fire department’s needs and duty cycle for full-shift operation
• Fire station-based, all-encompassing vehicle charging infrastructure provided by an established nationwide energy supplier offers a thorough, simple, and fast charging solution

“Over the years, we’ve listened to the needs of our customers in communities like the City of Portland who continue to lead the way with their forward-looking environmental and sustainab

Rosenbauer America announces a five-year extension with Ventura County, California. In addition to the contract extension, Ventura County has also placed an order for two new Tractor Drawn Aerials (TDA’s).

“The county originally formed their long-term partnership with Rosenbauer in 2014,” said John Slawson, CEO and president of Rosenbauer America. “We are honored to continue our relationship with Ventura County for another five years.”

TDA’s are iconic to the North American fire service. Rosenbauer’s TDA’s offers multiple body construction choices, tillerman cab styles, and corrosion resistant coatings for the aerial device.

TDA available features include SMART controls, hot dip galvanized steel to protect against corrosion, multiple fire truck body styles, CleanLockers, and CleanAir Recirculation Air Scrubber, among other features.

Rosenbauer fire trucks have been leading firefighting innovation for more than 150 years. The fire truck manufacturer is dedicated to developing partnerships with progressive departments that are looking for more than a vendor relationship. 

“At Rosenbauer, our goal is to support firefighters and communities with state-of-the-art, reliable, and well-made fire equipment,” concluded Slawson.

For more information about Rosenbauer America, visit www.RosenbauerAmerica.com, Facebook, and Twitter.

A fire truck highlights the items that will be up for sale on October 23 at Allegheny County (PA) Airport Authority’s annual auction at the Heavy Equipment Building on Cargo Road, reports triblive.com.

The auction, starting at 10 a.m., is for two years’ worth of items left behind at Pittsburgh International Airport. In addition to the fire truck, nine abandoned vehicles, runway brooms, plows, nearly 1,000 pieces of jewelry, and more will be up for bid, the report says.

Doors open at 8:30 a.m., two food trucks—Divine Swine and Steel City Fries—will be on hand, and masks are required, according to the report.

The 2019 auction—the last one held in person, due to COVID—saw a former Allegheny County Bomb Squad truck sold for $8,500. 2020’s virtual auction had a 2012 Chevy Silverado sell for more than $18,000, a 2018 Camaro go for $26,000, and a 2006 Nissan Murano for $1,100, the report says.

Certain items will be available for bidding online at joerpyleauctions.com.

The Madison (AL) Fire and Rescue Department is working with Partnership for a Drug-Free Community an atypical fundraiser, the Pullin’ for Partnership – Fire Truck Challenge, reports themadisonrecord.com. It will happen on October 26 from 3 to 6 p.m. in Madison City Schools Stadium’s parking lot, 211 Celtic Drive.

In the challenge, 10-member teams will pull a 46,000-pound fire truck via rope for 50 feet, the report says. Trophies will be presented for fastest/slowest pulls, team spirit, and top fundraising.

The team registration fee is $250, and corporate sponsorships are available. Donations to Partnership are tax-deductible, and all proceeds will go directly to Partnership for a Drug-Free Community’s programs, according to the report. The registration deadline is October 15.

The event will be livestreamed on Facebook. More information can be found here.

The Occum (CT) Volunteer Fire Department has been awarded a $100,000 state grant to cover building upgrade projects, reports theday.com. However, city officials want to study the project further before accepting the money.

City council plans to vet the project and then vote on a recommendation at its October 18 meeting, the report says.

The grant, from the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, would cover renovations including handicapped-accessible bathrooms only on the first floor, refurbishing the second-story meeting room floor, new entrance doors, and a new exterior sign to highlight upcoming events and public safety alerts, officials say.

The grant does not require a matching share from the city or the fire department, and the work was not included in this year’s city capital improvements budget, the report says.