Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation business, has announced that the Calgary Fire Department will receive the fourth placement of the Pierce Volterra Electric Pumper in North America.
This marks the first deployment of this electric fire truck in Canada.
The Calgary Fire Department’s adoption of this vehicle is part of Pierce’s commitment to optimizing the Pierce Volterra platform under various environmental conditions, as reported by Pierce Manufacturing.
Other deployments include Madison, Wisconsin, Gilbert, Arizona, and Portland, Oregon.
Nigel Thorley, Leader, Fleet and Equipment for the Calgary Fire Department, said: “We look forward to incorporating the Pierce Volterra electric fire truck into our fleet, as it represents a significant advancement in our commitment to sustainable firefighting solutions and reduced emissions.”
He added that Pierce and Commercial Emergency Equipment have been reliable partners, contributing to the enhancement of Calgary’s firefighting capabilities.
The Calgary Fire Department will put the Pierce Volterra electric fire truck into service in May 2024.
Calgary’s cold winter conditions will provide a crucial testing environment for the vehicle’s performance in low temperatures.
This testing is similar to the ongoing evaluations in Gilbert, Arizona, where the vehicle is tested in arid, subtropical conditions.
The data gathered from Calgary’s operations will be valuable for the optimization of the Pierce Volterra platform.
The integration of the electric pumper aligns with Calgary’s Green Fleet Strategy, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2030.
The City of Calgary’s 2023-2026 Climate Implementation Plan emphasizes the use of electric and low-carbon vehicle technologies to achieve environmental sustainability goals.
The Pierce Volterra Electric Pumper will be showcased at the Commercial Emergency Equipment booth during the 2024 Alberta Fire Chiefs Association Tradeshow on May 26-27, 2024.
Following the tradeshow, the vehicle will be delivered to the Calgary Fire Department and is expected to be in service by the summer.
Commercial Emergency Equipment, the Pierce dealer, will provide service support for the vehicle.
The company’s technicians have undergone specific training for the Volterra’s high-voltage systems at Pierce’s headquarters in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Carey Feduniw, General Manager of Commercial Emergency Equipment, expressed pride in supporting the deployment of the first zero-emission emergency apparatus in Canada.
The Calgary Fire Department’s Enforcer Volterra Pumper features a parallel-electric drivetrain, a 244 kWh battery solution, and a patented Electro-Mechanical Infinitely Variable Transmission (EMIVT).
It also includes an internal combustion engine for extended operations.
The custom chassis features TAK-4 Independent Front Suspension, a 500-gallon water tank, a Waterous CMU 1500 GPM two-stage pump, a Husky 3 Foam System, a hydraulic ladder rack, and a full cold climate package.
