Albuquerque Fire Rescue expands fleet with new UTVs, type 3 engine
By Alyssa Munoz
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ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) — Albuquerque Fire Rescue has added new equipment to improve wildfire response and rescue operations.
A new UTV will be placed near the foothills and another near the Bosque, each costing $180,000. Officials say the vehicles help crews reach narrow, hard-to-access areas faster than larger trucks. Each carries 60 gallons of water and 5 gallons of foam and can also be equipped with a basket for patient transport during rescues.
AFR says it bought its first UTV in 2024 and found it useful for wildfires, backcountry rescues, and large public events such as Balloon Fiesta. The department is also adding a Type 3 engine, which is built for both wildland firefighting and structure protection in the urban-wildland interface.
Officials say expanding the fleet improves coverage across the city. It also allows AFR to deploy one Type 3 engine out of state if needed, while still maintaining protection in Albuquerque.
“We have $17 million of apparatus on the books ordered. So, we have trucks scheduled to be delivered this summer, but we’re projecting out all the way past 2030. So that’s part of that fleet management that we’re really trying to stay on top of,” said AFR PIO Jason Fejer.
AFR says the vehicles are funded through a mix of state and local sources.
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