The city of Redmond is preparing to receive the state’s first electric fire truck, as part of its plans to electrify its municipal fire trucks.
The city aims to electrify at least 50% of its fleet by 2035, and the Redmond Fire Department will receive its first electric fire truck later this year.
In August, the mayor of Redmond joined 350 U.S. mayors in a partnership to expand the electrification of the government vehicle fleet.
“Electrifying municipal fleets and building our charging infrastructure is essential to building a green economy in Redmond,” said Mayor Birney. “By investing in sustainable transportation alongside fellow climate mayors, we’re not only reducing emissions, we’re laying the foundation for new opportunities for innovation and sustainability in our community.”
Over the years, the city has slowly added electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles and alternative fuels in hopes of creating clean air, lowering tax bills and building a more sustainable future for its residents.
The city wrote in a Facebook post that the new electric fire truck will reduce emissions, air pollution and noise without sacrificing performance, functionality or safety.
Pierce, a subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation, the manufacturer of the electric fire truck, said: “Electric fire trucks are designed to maintain the high level of operational standards that firefighters demand, without compromise.”
Pierce said the fire trucks’ batteries can be fully charged in less than 90 minutes, but they also have an internal combustion engine as a backup.
In 2023, the Washington State Department of Ecology awarded the City of Redmond a $587,155 grant to purchase an electric fire truck. The City Council unanimously approved the grant in February 2023.
In the Agenda Memo, dated AM No. 20-016, the City Council accepted Ecology’s grant and agreed to fund the remaining 75% or $1,761,464 of the over $2.3 million purchase price for the truck and required charging infrastructure.
