VIDEO: The Los Angeles Fire Department now operates the first electric fire truck in North America.
“This is going to allow us to find new ways to provide service,” said Chief Richard Fields with the LAFD.
On a recent morning, Fields allowed me to get a tour of the shiny new truck, which is now responding to calls in Hollywood. “It’s the perfect place to try new things,” said Fields.
In its first week, Engine 82, made by Rosenbauer, has gone on over 100 calls. The truck is still red but everything else is green. “I would say the biggest advantage is [less] injury and [more] safety for the firefighter,” said Doug Feldman, Western Regional Manager for Rosenbauer, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of electric and non-electric trucks.