Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company, announced it has secured a contract with the Gilbert Fire and Rescue Department in Arizona to place a Pierce® Volterra™ zero-emissions pumper with an Oshkosh patented parallel-electric drivetrain into service with the department’s busiest station, Station No. 2.

Gilbert Fire and Rescue’s Volterra electric pumper will be the third placement for Pierce, with others including the City of Madison, Wisconsin Fire Department, and the City of Portland, Oregon Fire and Rescue. All locations represent vastly different climates, allowing Pierce to collect vehicle performance data for the Volterra electric fire truck in various environmental conditions.

The Gilbert Fire and Rescue Department is led by Fire Chief Rob Duggan and is made up of 11 fire stations and 276 members who are dedicated to finding and utilizing resources to improve service delivery to the community’s residents.

Chief Duggan commented: “We are excited for the opportunity to partner with Pierce to add the Volterra electric pumper to our fire fleet because this partnership reflects and exemplifies Gilbert’s mission to anticipate and recognize the current and future needs of all who reside in the areas we serve.

“An additional attribute critical to our department is the Volterra pumper will allow us the benefit of exploring ways to eliminate cancer-causing diesel exhaust particles from our fire stations.”

Chief Duggan added, “Pierce brought a fair and balanced approach to our early discussions and understood the importance of ensuring positive outcomes for both sides. The support of our mayor, town council, town management, and the many departments which support our department has also been instrumental in this agreement and will continue to be in the years to come.”

In collaboration with Gilbert Fire and Rescue, Pierce will continue developing and evaluating the Pierce Volterra electric vehicle. As part of this development process, Gilbert’s arid, subtropical climate, intense heat during summer months, and high UV index will provide valuable exposure and insight to additional operational environments the electric vehicle must withstand.