Coronado will purchase an electric, rather than a diesel-fueled, fire engine to replace one that is ready to be retired.
The decision largely hinged on the electric engine’s improved health benefits for firefighters, which Coronado Fire Chief Jason Summers outlined during two council meetings. Not only is the engine safer, he said, but it also carries advantages from a public safety standpoint.
When the proposition first came before the council in September, some residents and council members were skeptical due to how new the technology is. Not many cities in the United States have electric engines. However, after Summers made his presentations, the council agreed that it was the superior option.
“I was concerned that we were trading a modest amount of environmental benefit for our public safety, and I was a little concerned about that,” said Mayor Richard Bailey. “But having visited the fire station, talked to the firefighters, and talked to Chief Summers, many of those concerns have been put to rest.”
Summers said the Rosenbauer RTX electric fire engine’s reduction in diesel emissions would provide a healthier work environment. Firefighters have a 9% increased risk of developing cancer, according to research from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety.
It is also nearly silent as it pumps. Currently, Summers said firefighters must yell while standing next each other as the pump operates, and 30% of firefighters suffer from hearing loss.
Firefighters can exit the vehicle from any door, something that is not true in the current model. When responding to traffic accidents on highways, exiting on the traffic side of the engine presents a safety concern.
The Rosenbauer RTX electric fire engine carries a $2.2 million price tag, compared to the $1.3 million expense for a traditional, diesel engine. Traditional, diesel fire engines operate on a 16-year lifecycle. The first eight of those years, the vehicle is considered frontline, and then, for its remaining eight, it serves as a backup. The Coronado Fire Department has three vehicles in its fleet: two fire engines and an aerial truck.
The department is due to replace one engine in 2026, and has $1.3 million appropriated to do so.
The RTX is equipped with a backup generator so that, if the battery did deplete, it would still operate. However, because of Coronado’s size and its range and charge time, use of the generator is not anticipated to be needed often.
The RTX carries some key advantages over traditional, diesel engines: Its all-wheel drive and independent suspension allow it to “crabwalk,” which is likened to a sideways or diagonal motion, allowing great maneuverability into tight spaces. The RTX also has advanced diagnostics, allowing for remote troubleshooting and potentially fewer maintenance issues.
Coronado has spent $105,000 for diesel fuel over the last eight years. The charging costs are 50% lower, creating a modest savings.
Still, the focus of the Nov. 19 City Council meeting, in which the council unanimously decided to acquire an electric engine, was on the increased health benefits to its firefighters.
City Council Member and Mayor-Elect John Duncan said the health aspects were the most important considerations in his decision.
City Council Member Casey Tanaka said that while he would ordinarily suggest waiting before adopting a new technology without much operational data available – not many cities in the country have electric engines yet – he felt convinced that the electric version was the safer choice.
Meanwhile, City Council Member Carrie Downey pointed out that, eventually, Coronado will need to switch to electric vehicles due to state laws requiring electrification by 2035.
“We need to get moving on cleaning up heavy-duty diesel vehicles,” she said. By adopting an electric engine now, the city can use the experience as a model for converting its other vehicles.
Many of Coronado’s fire fighters attended the meeting. When the electric engine acquisition was approved by unanimous vote, the audience broke into applause.
