Los Angeles Fire Department Launches Use of Electric Fire Trucks

The Los Angeles Fire Department has introduced the use of a new first-even electric fire truck.

The environmentally-friendly fire engine was shown through outgoing LAFD Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas' tweet of its photo, according to an ABC 7 News report.

Terrazas said that the electric fire truck will be the first in the nation and that they are expecting to take delivery by early May.

In addition, it will be assigned to Hollywood's Fire Station 8.

LAFD's news release first announced the procurement of the fire trucks on Feb. 10, 2020. The agency said that it has signed an agreement to become the first fire department in North America to purchase the said fire engine from Austria-based manufacturer Rosenbauer.

Terrazas said at the time that he was excited that they are the first Department in North America to procure "this cutting-edge fire engine."

He noted that the electric fire engine will help reduce noise and harmful diesel emissions while having a flexible tool for firefighting and rescue operations.

Dieter Siegel, CEO of Rosenbauer International, said that the electric truck engine is multi-functional, fully connected, with its flexible interior can be used as a fully-featured command center.

The pre-series engine will have two batteries with a charge capacity of 100-kilowatt hours, which enables fully electric operation for around two hours, with an onboard diesel generator that can be activated for extended operations.

Los Angeles Fire Department Electric Fire Truck

The fire truck had reportedly costed LAFD $1.2 million, which is the same amount as the usual aerial ladder truck, according to the LAFD spokesman Brian Humphrey.

The model was also an order for use in Menlo Park, California. However, it was rejected by the town board over cost reasons, according to a Business Insider report in 2020.

Terrazas said that they believe the truck model will be a good fit in the area with the brush threat, narrow roads, and tight roads with all the congestion.

The Rosenbauer noted that its designs expect changes in gender and age for firefighting, including other variables.

The electric fire truck was initially reported to have a lime green color to make the truck more visible and to highlight the special and ecological importance of the model.

But Humphrey said that the LAFD's model will be painted red to match the rest of the fleet, according to a Los Angeles Times report.

Humphrey added that the introduction of electric fire trucks will set the stage for the "next century of firefighting."

The LAFD spokesman noted that the department will be leaving horse-drawn fire engines after 100 years.

Terrazas test drove the fire truck at Dodger Stadium the previous year of the procurement agreement, while it was on a North American tour.

The fire department chief said that he enjoyed the "vehicle's tight running radius."

Officials noted at the time that the engine will be custom-made to be at par with the needs of the LAFD and the standards imposed by the National Fire Protection Association.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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