Shawnee Kansas; Apparatus to run on Solar Power

[markmets415 524]

The Fire Department in the town of Shawnee in Pennsylvania, is planning to cut its fuel use by relying on the sun. The department experimented to see if solar panels placed on top of the fire trucks can power the necessary equipment within the truck so that the trucks can be turned off while on calls, rather than eating up fuel while idling.

After nearly four months in use, firefighters believe the panels are proving to be effective.

Shawnee Fire Chief Jeff Hudson said the panels were installed in July after the Fire Department had been considering ways to help the city's efforts to become more environmentally-friendly.

Firefighter David Wolff read a trade magazine article about a fire department in San Raphael, California, that had started using solar panels on its trucks. He quickly got in contact with the San Raphael Fire Department and enquired about it.

Traditionally, fire trucks are left running to keep the hoses from freezing in cold weather, but also to keep essential equipment constantly charged.

That includes the firefighters' battery-powered flashlights, portable radios, thermal imaging cameras and most importantly, the Mobile Data Terminal, which gives firefighters all available information on an emergency call, allows them to look up information like hazardous materials data and maps and serves as a communication link with dispatch.

In order not to kill the truck's battery, idling has been a necessity in the past.

But fire department officials thought that as long as equipment could remain charged, idling wouldn't be necessary on warmer days for medical, investigation and other nonfire calls.

The department spent US$900 from its equipment maintenance fund to buy the solar panels, which are made with a hard plastic face that can stand up to the elements and have a 20-year warranty.The firefighters carried out the installation themselves.

"Once we got all the materials, it just took an afternoon to put it in," Wolff said.

Wolff said that they chose to install the panels only on fire truck for the time being, engine 71, the most-used truck, as a trial to make sure the panels worked as expected.

But the panels appear to be working well enough that the department is looking into grants and other funding source to purchase more.

However, several factors, like the onset of cold weather and the always-varying number of emergency calls received each day, have made it hard to come up with exact numbers of savings just yet.

Considering the 20-gallon truck is refueled several times a week, recouping the costs shouldn't take long.

"If the data holds true, our investment would be paid off in six months for one truck," Wolff said. information provided by New Straits Times.

Edited December 1, 2008 by markmets415

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Kudos to them for not being afraid of embracing technology and an idea. Looked like they did their homework prior to throwing their hats completely into the solar bin. I hope it works out for them by saving fuel (and also reducing emissions) and perhaps we will see more of this in the future.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

I would love to know if this could actual work....it looks like it does, but more information is needed. I know of a few places that would love technology like this not only to bring some costs down but to actually be green. After all, where I go to school is all about the green.

[markmets415 524]

Their website

http://www.cityofshawnee.org/fire/fire.html

Edited December 1, 2008 by markmets415

[texastom791 31]

Sounds like a cool way to help out the environment.

[dadbo46 50]

.....and at night ???

[texastom791 31]

.....and at night ???

If it's anything like a solar panel on a house it should store the sunlight to use as energy on a cloudy day or at night.

[FFFORD 27]

.....and at night ???

let the truck idle

[joshlost818 6]

If it's anything like a solar panel on a house it should store the sunlight to use as energy on a cloudy day or at night.

And if it's in the firehouse? Solar paneling on the roof to charge the truck?