Frederick County Receives Maryland Energy Administration Grants

That includes funding to purchase an electric fire engine.Frederick, Md (KM) Between fiscal years 2022 and 2024, the Frederick County Division of Energy and the Environment received $3.4 million in grants from the Maryland Energy Administration. During a news briefing on Wednesday, County Executive Jessica Fitzwater said these funds are being used for energy conservation.She said $1 million is going toward the development of solar arrays and an energy micro-grid at the Prospect Center on Himes Avenue. “This solar arrays will be used to capture solar power that can stored in an integrated battery storage system capable of providing seamless power during potential power outages and interruptions,” Fitzwater said.There’s also more than $1 million being set aside for energy efficient retrofits for low income residents. “MEA’s grant funding supports Frederick County’s Power Saver Retrofits Program which provides energy efficiency home improvement projects and activities for low to moderate income residents,” Fitzwater said. “These improvements can include HVAC and water heater upgrades, adding insulation, sealing windows and doors to prevent draft, installing efficient lighting and much more.”A grant from the MEA of $262,432 is being used by Frederick County to purchase an electric fire engine. “We expect delivery of our Piece Volterra fire truck in December of 2025,” said Fire and Rescue Services Chief Toe Coe. “This new unit will be housed at the Northgate Fire Station, and be one of the first of its kind on the East Coast.”Coe says this new electric fire engine can provide critical life saving services in a sustainable manner, and a healthier work environments for first responders. “The Pierce Volterra fire engine helps us further reduce first responder exposure to carcinogenic diesel exhaust emissions , both in the fire station and on the incident scene,” he says. “In addition to assisting our first responders, the reduction in diesel emissions will help to protect our environment and contribute to cleaner air in our community.”The Pierce Volterra fire engine is “incredibly quiet when it operates,” Coe says, “allowing for improved communications between responders. We expect that this will also aid us in our battle against hearing loss that is frequently experienced by fire service personnel.”Even though this new fire engine will help reduce diesel exhaust emissions, Chief Coe says it also  has a lot of the features of a regular fire truck.The news briefing on Wednesday took place at the Upper Parking Lot of the Bourne Building on Montevue Lane, under the solar canopies which power Frederick County Government vehicles.By Kevin McManus