SPRINGFIELD — Effingham Fire & Rescue Chief Clint Hodges is always looking for an edge in the race against time. He recently found one and he won’t be the only beneficiary of it. 

People trapped in mangled cars will, too.

Effingham Fire & Rescue recently purchased a series of state-of-the art devices made by Holmatro, an international company that  produces hydraulic equipment for industrial applications and emergeny use. The lifesaving tools — a spreader, a cutter and a telescopic ram —are battery powered.

“There are no hoses that you have to drag around,” Hodges said. “They don’t need any time to warm up. You can start using them immediately.”

Initially, Hodges was cool to the idea of using battery-powered tools.

“I wondered how long they would hold a charge,” he said.

A little hands-on experience changed Hodges’ mind.

“During a training session, we cut metal all day and never lost a charge,” he said.

The extended working time is made possible by a purpose-built battery with increased capacity and energy efficiency of Holmatro’s patented mechatronic drive technology.

Another power advantage is that it can be charged while in use.

A mechatronic system inside Holmastro tools continuously optimizes the motor and pump settings to deliver a maximized oil flow over the full pressure range. This results in unparalleled speed at any load.