HME, Inc.
INDIANAPOLIS – HME, Inc. announced that it will be unveiling an all-new fire, EMS,, and rescue response vehicle next month at the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) in Indianapolis, Indiana, powered by a clean, environmentally friendly, compressed natural gas (CNG) engine.This is the first American fire apparatus to use a clean CNG power plant, and it will be available to the media before the show opens. The rig is covered with a unique multi-colored green graphics package, and company officials will be on hand to do interviews and answer any questions.
An expensive exhaust filtration system must be installed on conventional Diesel engines to allow them to meet strict Environmental Protection Agency requirements aimed to reduce soot and gas emissions. The CNG engine uses domestically produced fuel, lessoning the dependence on foreign oil, and does not require a complicated exhaust system to meet EPA emission requirements.Other innovations on this unit include an auxiliary power unit that eliminates the need to have the large propulsion engine running when the unit is idling and it is fully recyclable when it is retired.
A service proven Cummins Westport CNG engine will power the chassis. There are over 20,000 Cummins Westport engines in service worldwide, many of which operate in the toughest cycles - the urban bus and refuse markets. Customers report less oil consumption, improved idling, longer intervals between service calls, and low cost per mile. All this is accomplished through the use of clean, domestically produced, compressed natural gas fuel.
The 8.9-liter CNG engine produces 320 horsepower with 1,000 lb-ft of torque while meeting EPA and CARB 2010 emissions without DEF and SCR systems that are required on diesel engines. The exhaust system is comprised of a simple three-way catalyst that meets the useful-life requirement and is maintenance-free. This is a milestone for the fire service, explained HME Ahrens-Fox Director of Marketing Dave Fornell. Not only are we introducing a vehicle specifically tailored for the high-frequency EMS, rescue and fire runs that dominate the fire service today, but now we can fulfill mission in a highly environmentally friendly and cost-effective manner.
The rig on display will feature a stainless steel high-cubic footage rescue style body, 750-pump, 500-gallon tank, hydraulic generator and foam system, all mounted on HME s exclusive SFO, compact chassis, selected for its unrivaled maneuverability and safety. HME, Inc. is a producer of custom stainless steel fire apparatus and custom chassis, based in Wyoming, Michigan.