Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service moving to electric, hybrid vehicles

Switch to green will happen over the next eight years, writes Andrew Zvanitajs

Thestar.com
July 18, 2022
Chief Andrew Zvanitajs

What colour comes to mind when you think of the fire department? Most people will say red. In Vaughan, our fire trucks and most of our support vehicles are red.

When it comes to Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service (VFRS) vehicles, there’s another colour I want you to start thinking about: green.

Doing our part to protect the environment is very important to us. To this end, I am very excited to share that in the coming months and years, citizens will see VFRS moving toward electric and hybrid cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs.

These support vehicles play essential roles in our daily work:

• Our fire inspectors drive these when inspecting a new business to make sure it is safe to open.

• Our deputy chiefs and I drive these when going to a fire scene to assist our hardworking crews.

• Our prevention officers drive these when visiting a classroom to educate students about fire safety.

• Our training division drives these during their work to ensure annual maintenance training is completed for all firefighters.

Over the next eight years, we will replace our current fleet and purchase over 20 “green” small cars, pickup trucks and SUVs. Two hybrid vehicles will be on the road in a few months, and we are purchasing our first all-electric vehicle by the end of this year.

By making this change, we expect to see a reduction in maintenance and fuel costs over the lifespan of these vehicles, without any effect on our response times or services. This commitment aligns with the “Environmental Stewardship, Good Governance and Operational Performance” priorities outlined in the City of Vaughan’s 2018-2022 Term of Council Service Excellence Strategic Plan.

VFRS has already undertaken a number of green initiatives. Four VFRS stations are designed to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. Stations 7-9 and 7-10 are LEED gold certified, and stations 7-4 and 7-3 are designed to meet LEED silver certification.

These stations have energy-saving features that reduce their environmental impact, such as water-conserving plumbing fixtures, high-performance windows and both direct and indirect lighting with occupancy sensors.

Our mission is to provide programs to protect lives, property and the environment from the adverse effects of fire, medical emergencies and other dangerous conditions.

We have also made it our responsibility to safeguard the environment by applying leading-edge green technologies, selecting sustainable products and using construction practices that support and reflect Vaughan’s environmental priorities.

As you see our new “green” vehicles around Vaughan, know that we are doing our part to look after the environment while protecting you and your family.