Kent State Department of Public Safety's Fire Prevention Office has added a 2012 Chevrolet Volt to its fleet of vehicles early this semester in an effort to go green. The vehicle replaces a 2007 Ford Crown Victoria.

“The Volt is the first electric vehicle used for fire safety in the state of Ohio,” says Ed Moisio, fire prevention and safety coordinator.

Moisio says the car will be used for responding to fire alarms, inspections and carrying smaller equipment.

Gregg Floyd, senior vice president for finance and administration, says the Volt represents the first all-electric vehicle to be part of the Kent State University fleet.

“This vehicle and those that follow are part of a university commitment to promote sustainable processes and programs for the university,” Floyd says. “President Lefton, in his State of the University address in September 2009, charged the campus to pursue and implement opportunities to make Kent State University a green campus. I am pleased that the Fire Safety department is contributing to this effort.”

The Volt is powered by electric and gasoline. The car runs on electricity for 35 miles, gets 375 miles on a full tank of gas and goes faster than 100 miles per hour.

Moisio says that the car runs efficiently on gas, and it appears to be saving the department money.

“I filled the car up for the first time in two weeks, and it only took six gallons of gas,” Moisio says. “I have only charged the electric battery two times.”

The Fire Prevention Office recently relocated from the Stockdale Safety Building to Harbourt Hall because of the need for more space. The move also creates additional space for the Kent State Police, which still occupies the Stockdale Safety Building.

For more information about fire safety at Kent State, visit www.kent.edu/publicsafety/fireprevention/index.cfm.