Construction has started on a third fire station for the Barrington-Countryside Fire District, reports Lake & McHenry County Scanner.

Station 39 is being built and the project will be completed early next year. Station 39 will enable the Barrington-Countryside fire district to respond to more than 90% of all emergency calls throughout the District in six minutes or less.

Station 39’s location will also help reduce insurance premiums paid by many residents and businesses.

The Ann Arbor City Council voted unanimously to sell their 1927 American LaFrance fire engine to the Michigan Firehouse Museum and Education Center for $1, reports mlive.com.

The fire department does not have the space, funding or personnel available to properly restore it.

Part of the agreement states that if the museum were to part with the fire engine, the Ann Arbor Fire Department would have first right of refusal to get it back.

The museum was founded about 25 years ago. COVID-19 has impacted the museum but there are plans to re-open in late June.

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