Robbinsville Fire Fighters Go Green

March 13, 2008 – Robbinsville, NJ Local 3786 is the first public safety entity in the United States to participate in the TerraPass carbon offset program. The local purchased two TerraPass carbon offsets for its frontline emergency response vehicles – Engine 40 and Ambulance 140-10 – to spark community awareness about the dangers of global warming and climate change.

TerraPass evaluated each piece of apparatus for its carbon output/footprint, including distance driven per year, weight, and miles per gallon. Using this information, TerraPass determined the cost relative to the carbon output and invested the amount directly into clean, renewable energy wind farms, animal farm power and carbon dioxide capturing at landfills.

“These carbon offsets the footprint of our two pieces of equipment, so they have essentially been removed from the roadways,” explains Local 3786 member Edmund Haemmerle. “The goal is to encourage other emergency service departments, towns, residents, and communities to consider this short-term option, as well as make other long-lasting changes to help stop the global crisis affecting our planet.”

The total cost of both offsets for two emergency vehicles was $558 dollars. An offset for a standard passenger vehicle is $60 to $100.

TerraPass was founded by a University of Pennsylvania professor and his students, and is a reputable company which is third-party verified. All carbon offsets purchased are invested in the same year they are purchased.

For more information about TerraPass, click here, or visit the Local 3786 web site for more information.

Click here to watch the IAFF Local 3786 "go green" public service announcement.