At their September meeting, South Coast AQMD’s Governing Board approved funds to cost-share two zero-emission Breathmobiles® to be operated by Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC) in San Bernardino County.

A Breathmobile® is an “asthma clinic on wheels” specially equipped and staffed with medical professionals to visit schools to diagnose and treat asthma at no cost to school children residing in low-income communities. ARMC currently operates two gasoline powered Breathmobiles® that routinely travel to 40 different schools throughout San Bernardino County. Currently, each Breathmobile® travels over 5,000 miles a year, uses a gasoline-powered generator at the school sites for 4-5 hours a day and consumes over 1,000 gallons of gasoline a year.

This $2.2 million project is being cost-shared by U.S. EPA, San Bernardino County, and South Coast AQMD with in-kind support from ARMC. The project will replace an older gas-powered mobile clinic with a zero-emission as well as purchase a new, zero-emissions one. U.S. EPA awarded $500,000 to South Coast AQMD under the Clean Air Technology Initiative for the replacement of the existing older Breathmobile®. San Bernardino County will contribute $500,000 towards the purchase of the additional mobile clinic. South Coast AQMD’s Governing Board approved $250,000 cost-share for each vehicle. ARMC will be contributing $700,000 of in-kind support, to cover the staffing costs for the two mobile clinics and to upgrade its existing vehicle charging infrastructure to support the Breathmobiles®. The additional clinic will provide service to the Rialto, Bloomington, Colton, San Bernardino City, Muscoy, and Devore areas.

Both ARMC zero-emission Breathmobiles® will have at least a 100-mile range and provide each of the clinics with over five hours of electrical power. They will eliminate use of a gasoline-powered generator and prevent 0.14 tons of NOx, 0.14 tons of hydrocarbons, and 4.8 tons of CO from being emitted annually. In addition, the zero-emission Breathmobiles® will benefit the patients visiting the clinics and reduce noise at the school sites. They are expected to be deployed by the end of 2024.

For more information, contact Mei Wang at (909) 396-3257.