Fire Fighting Goes Green As Ontario’s First Electric Front-Line Fire Truck Arrives In Brampton

The first of what could be many cutting-edge fire trucks have arrived, meaning Brampton will soon be the first city in Ontario with an electric front-line firefighting vehicle.

Considered one of the most innovative firefighting vehicles on the market, the new truck is a Rosenbauer RTX and has a run time of close to 100 kilometres on battery power and can respond to several emergencies on a single charge.

The electric vehicle arrived in Brampton on Tuesday and is loaded with safety and environmentally friendly features that benefit not just the environment but firefighters as well.

And since it does not emit emissions, using the truck will reduce both the intake of carcinogens by firefighters while battling blazes and cut down on greenhouse gases.

“Joining esteemed cities worldwide, such as Berlin, Amsterdam, Dubai, Los Angeles, and Vancouver, we are proud to be at the forefront of this global movement towards eco-friendly firefighting,” the city said in a statement.

The trucks have all-wheel steering so they can manoeuvre in tight locations and narrower roads like in newer subdivisions, and incorporate the latest technologies to improve health and safety while reducing risk of firefighter injury.

Electric trucks allow fire crews to respond to emergencies with low noise and exhaust emissions, not only while travelling but also on the scene of a fire or emergency. They also have the ability to raise or lower ride heights similar to a passenger bus, which can be used during a flood with no chance of water entering the engine.

It also features a built-in “range extender,” which is an onboard diesel generator that can charge the batteries up to 80 per cent in just 15 minutes in the case of extensive fire or emergency service operations.

With one Rosenbauer truck now in the Brampton Fire and Emergency Services fleet, the city is looking at replacing some ageing fire engines with more electric vehicles. One is a vehicle at Station 201 that’s nearing the end of its lifespan while the other would add to the fleet at Station 215.

As for charging the vehicles, the city says both the new Brampton Fire Stations 201 and 215 were future-proofed in their design so electric chargers can be installed.

Last year city staff asked council to greenlight an additional $1.3 million in funding to purchase additional Rosenbauer electric fire trucks, adding to the $4.1 million in funds that was already earmarked for the purchase.

The city says switching to electric fire trucks will lead to cost savings over time from reduced fuel usage and maintenance compared to a traditional diesel-powered apparatus.