By Bill Carey
FireRescue1
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Fire Rescue Department is introducing its first electric vehicle response units, Rivian EV trucks staffed by paramedics, to enhance EMS response across the city.
Fire Chief Rod Smith stated the EVs will improve response times for medical emergencies, Atlanta First News reported.
“Traffic is not getting any better anytime soon, we know that fire trucks are not getting any smaller, so we looked to find something a little smaller, a little more nimble that can make its way through the city streets,” Smith said.
Between July and September, EMS calls accounted for 63% of AFRD’s 14,056 service calls, while structure fire calls totaled 4,803, according to fire department data.
Smith said the EV trucks will help reduce response times, aiming to reach emergencies within 6.5 minutes.
The electric EMS trucks will serve citywide, focusing on areas with the highest weekly EMS calls. They will use charging stations at various fire stations across the city and will not be based at any individual station.
The two EV trucks were funded by a $3 million “Fleet Forward” campaign. An electric fire engine is expected to join the fleet by early 2025.
