Written by Cathy Cook
Albuquerque Journal
BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. — Bernalillo County Fire and Rescue Service could be the first to use a hybrid electric fire truck in New Mexico. The county is set to purchase a hybrid diesel-electric fire truck with a $417,718 grant from the New Mexico Department of the Environment.
“Our main goal is to purchase an engine that will allow us to perform as efficiently and safely as we do today while being mindful of our role in protecting our environment,” Fire Chief Greg Perez said.
The new Pierce Volterra truck costs $2.1 million and replaces a 1991 Pierce Dash fire engine. The county will pay the rest of the cost from public safety tax revenues.
The fire truck should be in operation about a year from its order date, which is actually fast for a fire truck, said William Harris, spokesman for the Bernalillo County Fire and Rescue Department. Fire trucks are usually custom-built or purchased used. There is also a backlog of fire truck orders, so traditional fire trucks take two to four years from order to operation, Harris said.
Over the life of the new truck, the switch should offset 20,370 gallons of diesel fuel, a New Mexico Department of Ecology news release said. Fire trucks are supposed to serve as front-line vehicles for seven to 10 years, and then can be used as backup vehicles, Harris said.
Harris said maintenance costs should be similar to existing fire trucks, but the county should save significant money on diesel fuel. Electric batteries are expensive to replace but are expected to last 10 years.
The new fire truck will be able to operate on electric battery power alone, but it will also have a diesel engine that will automatically kick in if battery power is low — which may be necessary if the truck is pumping water for an extended period of time, according to the American “space” website. . Harris.
Operating the water pump requires more energy than normal driving, according to Harris. Nearly 90% of fire and rescue calls in Bernalillo County are for emergency medical services, not fire response, Harris said.
“On those regular calls, we can run on our electric power for calls with zero emissions, and once the battery is depleted, it goes smoothly and powers the diesel engine up front,” Harris said.
While Bernalillo County will be the first in New Mexico to convert to an electric fire truck, the Gilbert, Arizona, fire department has the same type of fire truck, and fire stations in Oregon, Colorado and Texas use electric fire trucks.
What are the health benefits of reducing diesel emissions?
Diesel exhaust can lead to health conditions such as asthma and respiratory disease, and can worsen existing heart and lung conditions, according to the EPA. Diesel engine emissions also contribute to ground-level ozone production, which can damage trees and crops, according to the EPA.
Diesel exhaust is likely carcinogenic, and studies have found that long-term exposure to exhaust can cause lung cancer in laboratory animals, according to the American Cancer Society.
“We’re always concerned about cancer in the fire service, and I think this will be really good for our department,” Harris said.
Firefighters are at a higher risk of cancer, with a 9% higher risk of cancer diagnosis and a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer compared to the general population, according to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network. While working, firefighters are exposed to carcinogenic substances such as synthetic materials and plastic materials that burn in buildings.
Where will the fire trucks go?
The new engine will be at Station 36 in the North Valley, located at 6810 Edith NE. Station 36 is one of the oldest county-run fire stations and still has a fire pole in the building, Harris said. But the fire station will be rebuilt and should be an all-electric fire station, deriving most of its power from solar panels.
The old engine will be used as a backup vehicle in case any fire engines need to be repaired or stations need additional engines to respond to large emergencies.
The new truck must be similar to drive and have similar firefighting capabilities as the county’s existing fire trucks.
“You’ll have to plug it in when you get back from the call,” Harris said.
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