Madison Fire Department debuted an electric fire engine with the hopes to cut fuel costs and eliminate carbon emissions, reports Wisconsin State Journal.

Manufactured by Appleton’s Pierce Manufacturing, it is believed to be the first electric-powered fire truck deployed in North America.

The truck is on indefinite loan to the city, which will provide data to Pierce as it works to bring electric fire trucks to market. 

Powered by a 115-kilowatt-hour battery, the truck has a range of about 37 miles. A 350-horsepower diesel engine provides backup power for the pumps and can propel the vehicle if the battery loses charge.

A traditional diesel-powered fire truck uses about 20 gallons of fuel per day.

Pierce Manufacturing and Oshkosh Airport Products have introduced the Volterra™ platform of electric vehicles for the fire and emergency market, with the first municipal truck already in service with the City of Madison, Wisconsin Fire Department’s Station 8.

APPLETON, Wis. (June 8, 2021) – Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) Fire & Emergency segment, including Pierce Manufacturing, Oshkosh Airport Products and Frontline Communications, announced today it has introduced the revolutionary Volterra™ platform of electric vehicles for the fire and emergency market.

In recent years, municipalities and airports worldwide have made green initiatives an integral priority, compelling fire departments to seek environmentally-conscious fire apparatus that reduce emissions, minimize fuel consumption, and produce less noise.

“Category leading innovations, grounded with direct input from our customers, is a hallmark of each of the brands in the Oshkosh Fire & Emergency Segment. It’s all about serving the needs of first responders,” said Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president of Fire & Emergency. “Our electric vehicles designed around Oshkosh proprietary and patented technology will provide the environmental benefits fire departments request, without having to compromise on the leading-edge operational performance, functionality, safety attributes, customization, and the traditional configurations and styling customers expect from our fire apparatus.”

Pierce Manufacturing – Volterra Platform of Electric Vehicles

The first Pierce Volterra zero-emissions pumper has been placed in service with the City of Madison Fire Department, making this the first electric fire truck in service in North America. The Volterra pumper is serving front line duty at Station 8, the City of Madison’s busiest fire station. The department is led by Fire Chief Steven Davis and is made up of 14 fire stations serving an area of nearly 100 square miles and a population of over 250,000.

“The City of Madison is committed to many sustainability initiatives allowing us to meet our needs without compromising those of future generations,” said Chief Davis. “Pierce’s Volterra electric pumper allows us to keep an environmentally-conscious focus on reducing emissions while maintaining our traditional pumper configuration without impacting our operational procedures. We are eager to lead change by responsibly supporting our environment together with achieving our critical daily missions.”

City of Madison’s Volterra Electric Vehicle Configuration:

• Enforcer™ custom chassis

Part 1 can be found here

By Carl J. Haddon

Big Rigs: Commercial vs. Recreational

Coming off on a recent Heavy/Big Rig Rescue program that we did in rural Minnesota, I’m reminded of a couple of student questions that brought me to this topic. How do we really define “Big Rig”? Is it by gross vehicle weight, length, or by the size and weight of the load?

Typically, when we think of big rigs, we think of heavy, 18- (or more) wheeled vehicles or large over-the-road commercial trucks. We’ve been taught to use such identifiers as hazmat placards and driver’s manifests that can let us know what these commercial trucks are carrying. These identifiers can be a great help with what the truck might be carrying, and perhaps a tip or two into the hazardous nature of the cargo.

What this information doesn’t always spell out in a way that is always easy to access and understand is what the actual volume and weight of the cargo is at any given time. We used to think that a 40-foot trailer constituted a big rig. Now, 53-foot trailers are common, and depending upon what state you live in, big rigs can haul “triples” (three trailers). We also know that these “rigs” are typically occupied by a single driver, or a driver and a co-driver.

Some may ask “so what?”, but it is important for several reasons. For example, one of the things that I see lacking most often when I visit rural departments around the country is stabilization struts rated to handle the weight of a big rig, or a school bus, or even heavy farm equipment. Regardless of preference of strut manufacturer (or if you make your own struts), it is imperative that you know and understand what your struts are weight-rated for.

Using light weight-rated car struts for a loaded school bus accident or a heavy commercial vehicle is nothing more than another accident waiting to happen—and a GIGANTIC liability to your department and its members. Don’t think for a minute that I’m knocking any department’s struts. We just need to use the right tool for the right job. We’ll talk more about struts in a future installment.

Today, we see huge recreational “big rigs” going down the highway through our rural communities. Forty-eight-foot (three quarters of a million dollar +) motor coaches towing large “kitchen” trailers is quite common. In a number of states (including my own) we see pickup trucks with 5th wheel trailers of varying sizes that have boats or other trailers hooked to the fifth wheel trailer. Aren’t these effectively “triples”?

Huge trailers known as “toy haulers” are usually luxurious self-contained recreational vehicle trailers with built-in garages for race cars, motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs, or any other kind of motorized toy that you could fit. But unlike commercial big rigs that have hazmat placards and driver manifests onboard, what do we know about these recreational big rigs? What are they carrying? How many people are onboard? What kind of hazmat may be inside the trailer or the garage of the trailer (in addition to the 50-gallon onboard trailer fuel tank that could be hauling anything from regular gas to racing gas)? How much do these types of rigs weigh? How do I know if

A new fire station highlights the list of projects—totaling $130 million—the Albuquerque (NM) City Council wants the public to vote on in November, reports krqe.com.

The new station, the most expensive item on the docket, would cost $7 million and would replace Station 12, near Juan Tabo and Central.

Officials say Station 12 is one of the oldest stations in the city, and an upgrade would help crews keep up with their high number of calls.

The council is expected to vote later this month on putting this bond package on the ballot.

Other projects include a swimming pool, designated places for the homeless to camp out, road work, and museum upgrades.

Related Articles:
Albuquerque (NM) Rescue Vehicle Stolen from Scene
Albuquerque (NM) Fire Stations Get Safety Equipment
Special Delivery: Albuquerque (NM) Fire Rescue Pumper Comes with Clean Cab Features