One Twin Cities fire department has some new, unique equipment to help save lives.

The Excelsior Fire District has added two electric bicycles to its firefighting fleet.

“We’re always trying to get the quickest response time possible,” Excelsior Fire District Chief Curt Mackey said.

The bikes are outfitted with critical equipment for life-saving support. The goal is to use the bikes to get to places regular fire equipment has a tough time reaching, like large crowds during community events.

“It’s really a powerful way to get in and out of tight spaces,” Chief Mackey said.

The bikes cost $5,000 each and can be used year-round. Only a few fire departments around the state use electric bikes.