Carlow County Fire and Rescue service is to launch the first fire engine in the world combining state-of-the-art software with hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). In July, Carlow firefighters first climbed aboard the first emergency service vehicle in Ireland powered by HVO. It is also solar-powered, uses vehicle intelligent software – and in addition to the green fuel, will see its carbon footprint slashed by 95% compared to diesel engines. Its speed, acceleration and overall performance is on par with a regular diesel equivalent.
“We’re extremely proud to be the first in the world to introduce a new generation of climate-friendly fire vehicles,” said Chief Fire Officer, Liam Carroll. “Carlow County Fire Service has been at the forefront of creating innovative carbon saving solutions for many years,” said Mr Carroll. “Firefighting is a dangerous job where firefighters put their lives and health at risk every day to help protect the public and safety is our top priority. Not only will this fire engine combat climate change and improve the standards of our service but its features will make the crucial work of a firefighter that bit safer”
The vehicle also has a number of innovative features to reduce fuel consumption and carbon output. Solar panels on the roof provide power to onboard auxiliary batteries which power the blue lights and charges road traffic collision cutting tools. Cloud-based software enables fire officers to track the vehicle’s information on fuel usage, carbon and cost savings to improve performance in real-time. Fire officers can monitor and improve battery levels over time, while the intelligent solution can monitor and aggregate total water and foam used at each fire scene to ensure optimal performance and reduce waste. A key safety feature is the Vehicle-to-Vehicle Digital Alerting, which signals other road users to the presence of a fire appliance attending an emergency. This provides other road users with more time to slow down, move over and avoid the scene.
The €462,000 engine, built locally over six months in Tullow by HPMP Fire Ltd, was ready to respond to emergencies on July 26. The vehicle was entirely funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage through the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management’s Fire Service Capital Programme.