Fire Apparatus Costs Double, Straining Fire Services Nationwide

Fire services are grappling with rapidly increasing equipment costs and long procurement timelines. According to reports, prices for fire apparatus have doubled since 2020. A fire engine that previously cost $500,000 now costs closer to $1.1 million, while ladder trucks average around $2 million.

These cost increases are forcing departments to plan years ahead due to extended lead times. For example, while some departments used to wait about a year for new equipment, current wait times are reported to be three to four years.