Why are fire department emergency response vehicles left running when they are on calls?
Today’s fire engines and rescue vehicles have far greater energy demands then vehicles of the past. It is necessary for them to be left running for a number of reasons. If a fire engine is involved in firefighting, the engine needs to be running to power the pumps. Climate control and refrigeration protects and preserves sensitive equipment inside the cab. On-board computers and other electrical equipment also have constant electrical needs. In addition, emergency lighting requires a significant amount of electricity. If the engines were turned off, the power demands would quickly draw down a battery and make restarting the vehicle doubtful. With critical response vehicles, where minutes and seconds can mean life or death, no one would want there to be a question of whether a vehicle will start. When these vehicles are in the station they are plugged into “shore lines” or power cords that supply the power needs without the engines running.
