The Hamilton Fire Department (HFD) is introducing its first electric fire truck as part of a two-year pilot program to test new technology. Mayor Horwath and others took park in the unveiling of the latest piece of equipment at the Hamilton Fire training facility on Stone Church Rd Thursday.
The pilot will help the department evaluate how the electric fire truck performs during a range of emergency calls across the city.
The electric fire truck can run on battery power while driving and while operating at emergency scenes, helping reduce emissions and fuel use. It also includes a backup internal combustion engine to ensure it can continue operating during longer emergency responses.
Over the next two years, the truck will be used in frontline service at Station 2 (Upper Wellington and Stone Church) and Station 6 (Wentworth and Barton). These stations were selected to allow the department to assess performance across different types of emergency incidents and service areas in Hamilton. Findings from the pilot will help determine whether additional electric fire trucks are considered in the future.