Hybrid fire truck flushes flames in test at fire academy

A blazing tower of flame and black smoke sizzled the air Monday as a bright yellow airport fire truck quietly rolled up, then let loose with its two water cannons.

Inside, next to a Jacksonville firefighter, was Mayor Donna Deegan, getting a test ride on the new diesel-electric hybrid truck that the fire department is investigating for purchase from Oshkosh Airport Products in Wisconsin.

Dual torrents of water quickly extinguished the towering inferno during the demonstration of the six-wheel-drive Striker Volterra fire truck. Its manufacturer says the truck could save up to 40% in fuel costs due to its ability to maneuver on electric power alone if needed.

Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Chief Keith Powers says that is just one reason the city is investigating the truck, which could be used to fight aircraft incidents involving major companies that fly out of Cecil Airport, including Boeing , Pratt & Whitney, Flightstar Aircraft Services and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

"The mayor challenged me a year ago and said she wanted to start looking at electrifying the fleet," Powers said. "I want to be honest, I was a real skeptic of it just to make sure our men and women have something that will perform at all times whether we are out for six or 10 hours. But when I got to Wisconsin and saw this and how it worked, it was a game changer for me."

A powerful fire truck

After watching the truck extinguish the blaze from a seat right behind one water cannon, and below the other, Deegan said the truck could save lives.

"That's quite a bit of firepower to get not only to the fire, but to use during the process," she said. "You are really mindful of the power that you are working there. It was impressive. When we drove up to it, I thought that's a lot of fire to put out. And I was amazed at how fast we were able to put it out with those guns."

Jacksonville Fire and Rescue has two fire stations at Cecil Airport . One on Aviation Avenue has a fire engine and rescue unit and handles medical and critical incident issues at airport offices as well as the surrounding roads and communities.

The department also operates an airport facility that currently has three Striker 300 crash trucks as well as a heavy-duty truck. All carry firefighting foam and other rescue gear, and all are powered by diesel engines.

A boon for firefighters

Seeing the hybrid truck in action, Powers said that using a six-wheel-drive truck that can drive on electric power, especially when moving inside the fire station, would be a boon to firefighters' health.

"When it is backing into the fire station and pulling out, it is in electric mode," Powers said. "We know that firefighters have a 14% greater rate of dying from cancer than the general population. Part of that is due to diesel exhaust inside those fire stations. The city has put diesel exhaust extractors in those stations, but some still gets in the stations, so it will keep our firefighters safer."

Reducing the emissions of city vehicles through electric or hybrid power is one of the mayor's goals.

"This is equipment that we can maintain more easily, and it fits right in with our plans to make sure we are a more sustainable city. This is a pretty impressive piece of equipment," Deegan said.

"As you may know, 40% of our carbon emissions come from transportation. These types of vehicles cut that dramatically, cut what these guys have to breathe, and really is quite an efficient piece of equipment for our firefighters."

Zero to 50 in 25 seconds

Powers said the hybrid truck has other benefits. When speed is needed, its combined diesel engine and electric motors enable it to get to 50 mph in under 25 seconds — 28% quicker than standard diesel models when rushing to a fire scene.

When not using the diesel engine to power its pumps, the Volterra's systems run on electric power, which also means zero emissions.

Jacksonville plans to test the truck for a few days this week.

"I know a lot of airports across the country and world have already purchased some," Powers said. "So we would have to get in that line, but we have to make sure it fits our needs first."

Oshkosh said it has 16 orders for the new Volterra hybrid, as it takes the vehicle to airports around the country for demonstrations.

Company representatives told the chief and mayor that fuel savings alone could tally hundreds of thousands of dollars over the life of the truck.

As to how much it would cost to buy, Powers said the city is only testing it now and not in negotiations to buy one.