Firefighters in Carlow are gearing up to climb aboard the first emergency service vehicle in Ireland powered by hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO).
The first fire engine in the world that combines state-of-the-art software with HVO is being launched by Carlow Fire Station.
This climate friendly fire engine is 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.
One of the key safety features of the fire engine is Vehicle-to-Vehicle Digital Alerting, which signals other road users to the presence of a fire appliance attending an emergency, providing them with more time to slow down, move over and avoid the scene.
The vehicle will be on the road responding to emergencies by early September following staff training.
"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 Fire Station responds to on average 350 emergency incidents annually and it is exciting to also positively contribute to the community through climate action."
The €462,000 engine, built locally over six months in Tullow by HPMP Fire Ltd, can carry six crew members.
The vehicle also has several 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.
"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.
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"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 world-first ties in with Carlow County Council’s Climate Action Plan, which aims to reduce county emissions by 51% and increase energy efficiency in the public sector to 50% by 2030.
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.
Last year, the fire service collaborated with HPMP Ltd and Acetech Global (Tullamore) to design, develop and deliver the greenest fire appliance in Ireland.
HVO is manufactured from renewable waste food oils and animal fats, is biodegradable and can reduce emissions by up to 90%.
