TECH TO THE RESCUE

Houston Airports roll out eco-friendly fleet of fire rescue vehicles

High-tech firetrucks are ready to serve the area that includes George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Photo courtesy of Houston Airports

Houston Airports and the Houston Fire Department will roll out a new fleet of eco-friendly and health-promoting vehicles this summer.

Four new Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) trucks will be deployed at HFD Stations 99 and 92 near IAH. The vehicles were purchased with $4.6 million from the Airport Improvement Fund and will replace a fleet purchased in 2006.

One truck is already operating HFD Station 99. Others are expected to be operational by August, according to Houston Airports.

"The safety of passengers and crew at Bush Airport is our top priority," Steve Runge, director of operations for Houston Airports, says in a statement. "These new ARFF trucks represent a significant investment in the latest firefighting technology, ensuring the Houston Fire Department has the resources it needs to respond swiftly and effectively to any aircraft emergency while utilizing eco-friendly foam."

The vehicles feature several innovative features including:

  • Synthetic fluorine-free foam that extinguishes fires with minimal environmental impact
  • High-capacity water pumps that deliver up to 1,200 gallons of water per minute
  • Specialized rescue equipment for rescuing passengers and crew from crashes
  • Rosenbauer re-circulation air scrubber system that reduces firefighter’s exposure to carcinogenic toxins

They can carry 3,000 gallons of water, 400 gallons of foam, 450 pounds of Purple K dry-chemical and 460 pounds of Halotron to extinguish fires and rescue passengers and crew, according to Houston Airports.

"From the health of the firefighters to protecting people and property at Bush Airport, we appreciate this investment by Houston Airports,” Ronald Krusleski, senior captain and ARFF coordinator for the Houston Fire Department, adds.

Houston Airports also plans to build a 21,000-square-foot facility to replace the current HFD 92 at IAH that will include six apparatus bays, fire inspector and administrative offices, and direct access to the airfield, according to a statement. It'll be funded by $30 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Airport Infrastructure Grants for Fiscal Year 2024 from the FAA. Hobby Airport also received $15 million to demolish and reconstruct existing ARFF buildings.

Last year Houston Airports also received $12.5 million for projects aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The projects included replacing existing generators and conducting an energy audit.

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This article originally ran on InnovationMap.

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A View From HETI

Plus Power and the Tennessee Valley Authority are developing the Crawfish Creek Energy Storage project. Photo via pluspower.com

The Woodlands-based Plus Power announced this month that it has entered into a 20-year energy storage agreement with Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), one of the largest public energy providers in the U.S.

Through the agreement, Plus Power and TVA will develop the Crawfish Creek Energy Storage project, a 200-megawatt / 800-megawatt-hour utility-scale battery energy storage facility in Jackson County, Alabama.

Construction on Crawfish Creek Energy Storage is expected to begin in 2028, and commercial operation is planned for the summer of 2029. The project will store electricity when demand is low and release it during peak periods, helping improve grid reliability, affordability, and energy security, according to a news release.

"Battery storage is essential to protecting the reliable, affordable electricity our region depends on to power next-generation technologies," Monika Beckner, TVA vice president, power supply & fuels, said in the release. "Projects like Crawfish Creek strengthen the Valley's energy security, improve our ability to manage extreme conditions, and help unleash American energy."

TVA selected Plus Power for the project in 2025 via a request for proposal to supply new capacity resources needed across the region. Plus Power currently owns and operates nine facilities that provide enhanced power reliability to Arizona, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts and Texas, totaling 1,650 megawatts/4,150 megawatt-hours. With this deal, Plus Power is entering its seventh state market and expanding into the Southeast.

"Plus Power is proud to support energy resilience in Jackson County and the Tennessee Valley, a key region for America's military, aerospace, and nuclear innovation," Brian Duncan, chief commercial officer at Plus Power, said in a news release. "Battery energy storage systems are flexible and millisecond-fast, making Crawfish Creek uniquely suited to meet the region's evolving needs. We are excited to partner with TVA to deliver a resource that supports economic expansion while strengthening American energy dominance and security.”

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