California fire departments struggling with 20-Year-Old trucks amid $4 Billion backlog

San Diego, California – San Diego County firefighters and local leaders are raising the alarm about a crisis in emergency response, blaming corporate consolidation and Wall Street greed for putting lives at risk. As wildfires continue to be a year-round threat, many fire departments are struggling with outdated, unreliable fire trucks that delay response times and undermine safety.

“Fire agencies, both here locally and nationally, have been held hostage over the years by the actions of the fire apparatus manufacturers and under private equity ownership,” said Chief Dave McQuead of the San Diego County Fire Chiefs Association (SDCFCA).

In a region prone to devastating wildfires, the pressure is mounting. “Across California, fire departments are in a fleet crisis,” said Chief Bernie Molloy of the SDCFCA. The crisis is linked to the consolidation of the fire truck manufacturing industry. As fewer companies dominate the market, costs have soared, and delays have worsened. Fire trucks that once cost $1 million now exceed $2 million, and delivery times have stretched from one year to as long as four years.

“This has led to fire departments being forced to rely on 20-year-old trucks,” Molloy added. “We’re having trouble arranging the apparatus in a timely fashion to meet the needs to serve our community.”

Union representative Tim Ross recalled a recent fire fight when his truck malfunctioned, causing a loss of 20% of his water supply during a critical moment. “That’s 20% less firefighting capability and doubles the safety risk for my crew,” Ross said.

Industry officials have acknowledged that labor shortages and supply chain issues, exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, have contributed to these delays. However, they also concede that corporate consolidation has played a major role. Private equity firms began acquiring smaller manufacturers in the 2000s, creating larger, monopolistic companies that prioritized profit over efficiency. Rev Group, for example, now controls 30% of the fire truck market, and together with Oshkosh and Rosenbauer, these three companies dominate 70-80% of the industry.

“The pandemic certainly caused supply chain issues, but the real problem is the lack of competition,” said Edward Kelly, general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters. “Monopoly capitalism is a shakedown.”

Despite these challenges, companies like Rev Group have increased their profit margins to nearly 9%. However, delays in manufacturing have led to a $4 billion backlog of unfulfilled fire truck orders, with some waiting times extending up to three years.

San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer is calling for antitrust action to break the corporate stranglehold on the fire truck industry. “Lives are on the line,” she said. “We must act now to protect our first responders and our communities.”

Lakeside resident and Cedar Fire survivor Dave Kassel echoed the urgency: “Fire truck companies aren’t just buying up these fire truck makers—they’re buying our safety and putting a price on our lives.”