Fire truck delays leave US cities exposed

Senate hearing focuses on fire truck market pressures

Senator Elizabeth Warren raised concerns about private equity consolidation and delivery backlogs in the fire truck manufacturing sector during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee hearing.

Warren explained that three companies now control about 80 percent of the fire truck market.

She said these corporations have raised prices, restricted supply, and created delays that leave fire departments without essential equipment.

She also noted that fire departments now face wait times of up to three years for new trucks, compared with one year in 2019.

Warren has called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to conduct a study under Section 6(b) of the FTC Act to review business practices in the industry.

Testimony from firefighter organisations

Edward Kelly, General President of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), described the effect of long waits for new fire apparatus.

Kelly said: “Chief Rubin testified earlier, in his city, they had to put, because they did not have enough apparatus on hand to staff the firehouses, they were putting firefighters out basically on pickup trucks like painting crews with ground ladders.

“If you’re trapped in the third or fourth floor, you’re jumping.

“And that is not how emergency response is designed in this country.

“We have standards that have been created over many times, and unfortunately, when we read about a fire code or a standard, it’s usually in the shadow of a devastating loss of life, and we don’t make these up.

“There’s a reason that these standards are in place and what’s been created notwithstanding, you know, the streamlined ordering process, which that pierce line, although it’s supposed to streamline the production, still takes two to three years to deliver an engine or a ladder truck.

“Not only do we need to do better—we need to investigate how we got here, and that’s why, in the wake of your letter, we’ve actually written to the Department of Justice and the FTC to investigate this.”

Expert calls for FTC study

Basel Musharbash, Principal Attorney at the Antimonopoly Council, told the hearing that a Section 6(b) inquiry would clarify industry practices.

Musharbash said: “I would say that a 6(b) inquiry would help in two ways.

“On the one hand, it could shed light on the practices of the dominant firms, REV Group and Pierce, to make sure that the public and lawmakers know about those practices, and whether they’re anti-competitive or abusive, or whether they present barriers to competition for small manufacturers.

“Beyond that, a 6(b) inquiry would very much help us understand the barriers, the other barriers, to competition for the small manufacturers.

“Why is it that they can’t expand?

“Why is it that they can’t, for example, many of them can’t acquire steel and make their own chassis.

“That’s why a 6(b) inquiry would be very helpful here, absolutely.”

Fire chiefs report operational impacts

Dennis Rubin, Fire Chief of the Kansas City Fire Department, explained how long waits and high costs influenced procurement decisions.

Rubin said: “Without a doubt, I think to have the investigation move forward is critical.

“I would just dare say, going back to one of your earlier questions, during the International Association of Fire Chiefs Conference in 2024, we met with the President, just happened to be there, of Pierce, and he described the fact they expect escalating, escalating prices coupled with more delays.

“Verbalized that.

“After that, we had meeting after meeting.

“It was just interesting the way you described your question, because you were exactly right with their local distributorship, Conrad.

“Conrad said they weren’t going to be able to do anything better than three years, and maybe longer, with price increases.

“And quite frankly, at that point, we made a determination to go with another company.

“We’re actually using, as they say, full disclosure, Spartan, which is part of the REV Group, but we’re going to get a little bit better delivery time, not great, but better, and the price was significantly lower than what we were going to pay with Pierce.”

IAFC outlines causes of the crisis

Jason Shivers, Division Chief of Technical Services for Forsyth County Fire Department and chair of the IAFC’s Emergency Vehicle Management Section, submitted testimony on behalf of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

He explained that before the COVID-19 pandemic, departments could expect new pumpers in 8–12 months, aerials in 12–18 months, and ambulances in under a year. Now, fire chiefs can wait up to four years for delivery.

He said costs have also risen by 20–25 percent since 2020, straining budgets and forcing reliance on outdated equipment.

Shivers highlighted a combination of pressures: pandemic shutdowns, difficulty rehiring skilled staff, shortages of components like chassis and microchips, and increased competition with larger commercial truck sectors.

He added that federal policies contributed to the demand spike. Departments rushed orders to avoid costs linked to the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2027 emissions standards, while relief funds from the CARES Act and American Rescue Plan gave them the means to place those orders.

Community-level consequences

Shivers emphasised that many departments have been forced to extend the life of vehicles beyond NFPA’s recommended 15-year limit. Reserve fleets are being relied on heavily despite lacking modern safety features and requiring frequent repair.

Some departments have had to use command vehicles or other improvised transport options for EMS calls due to ambulance shortages.

He also warned that apparatus shortages prevent departments from meeting mutual aid requests and, in some cases, from opening new fire stations.

Rising costs of vehicles have also cut into personnel budgets, limiting the ability to recruit new fire and EMS staff.

Actions fire departments can take

Shivers recommended several measures that departments can implement directly.

He said purchasing stock vehicles, even if less customised, could shorten delivery times and reduce costs.

He advised departments to refurbish existing apparatus by upgrading safety features, overhauling drivetrains, or remounting bodies to extend service life.

He suggested that departments strengthen apparatus maintenance programmes, reduce wear and tear, and expand the number of trained Emergency Vehicle Technicians.

He also recommended that departments establish apparatus specification committees to assess community needs, design efficient specifications, and manage fleet planning to avoid costly changes during production.

Steps for manufacturers and Congress

Shivers said manufacturers should either expand capacity or limit orders until production can meet demand. He advised them to promote base-level standard models that can be built quickly and at lower cost.

He urged Congress to allow Assistance to Firefighters Grants to fund refurbishments and to expand SAFER grants to support Emergency Vehicle Technician hiring.

He suggested that Congress explore tax incentives for manufacturers to expand production capacity and recommended prioritising key components such as semiconductors and engines for the fire service.

He added that the US Fire Administration could work with national fire service groups and manufacturers to develop voluntary standardised designs for core apparatus types, reducing costs and lead times.

He also recommended that the National Fire Academy support the training of technicians through model education programmes delivered via technical colleges.

Relevance for fire and safety professionals

The combined testimony of senators, IAFF representatives, fire chiefs, and IAFC officials shows how financial consolidation and supply chain pressures affect the availability of critical fire trucks.

For professionals, the hearing highlights that procurement challenges are linked both to market concentration and to structural supply disruptions.

The outcome of potential FTC studies and congressional actions could directly influence replacement cycles, pricing models, and equipment planning.

Future standardisation or federal support may also change how departments approach apparatus procurement and maintenance.

Fire truck delays and costs spark Senate scrutiny: Summary

The Office of Elizabeth Warren reported that Senator Elizabeth Warren raised concerns about consolidation in the fire truck market at a Senate hearing.

Three companies now control 80 percent of US fire truck production.

Warren urged the FTC to use its Section 6(b) powers to investigate industry practices.

IAFF General President Edward Kelly testified that departments now wait up to three years for delivery of new trucks.

Kansas City Fire Chief Dennis Rubin described how his department bought used trucks to address shortages.

Basel Musharbash of the Antimonopoly Council said a 6(b) inquiry would expose barriers to smaller manufacturers.

Jason Shivers of the IAFC said COVID-19 supply issues and surging demand extended delivery times to four years.

He added that costs rose 20–25 percent and federal relief funds added to demand.

Departments have been forced to rely on reserve fleets lacking modern safety features.

Shivers recommended that fire departments consider stock purchases, refurbishments, and stronger fleet management.

He said manufacturers should expand capacity and offer standard models.

He urged Congress to expand grant flexibility, prioritise key parts, and support workforce training.