Chris Nigg is a 24-year fire service veteran who has held leadership positions at the League of California Cities, California Fire Chiefs, Los Angeles Area Fire Chiefs, and Los Angeles Area Fire Chiefs Association Regional Training Group. He can be reached at cnigg@laverneca.gov.

These days, I find myself concerned not just with the safety and protection of my residents and firefighters, but the very sustainability of our firefighting equipment. Across the U.S., departments are struggling with a dire shortage of fire engines and trucks, the very essence of what we do. Like virtually all my fire chief colleagues, I worry about a day where we are simply unable to respond.

Here in La Verne, we ordered a new fire engine in mid-2021. We received an estimate of 13-14 months. It was delivered four years later. Six months after the engine went into frontline service, the diesel motor experienced a catastrophic failure. The repair took another six months.

Another engine needs to be replaced in 2027, a timeline consistent with industry standards. But with such growing lead times, we are frantically trying to initiate the process now. But we are not only trying to buy an engine before we have all the money: We’re contending with a price tag that has almost doubled.

To date, we do not know how we’re going to replace our next 20-year-old fire engine.

Our story is not unique. In a Cal Cities survey of 70 California fire chiefs, nearly half of the respondents said that delivery times jumped from less than a year before the pandemic to over four years. The vast majority cited interruptions to response times and compromised fleets due to costs and delays, as well as a precipitous increase in prices.  

There are a host of reasons why this happened. Pandemic-era supply chain issues slowed delivery times, and costs rose with inflation. Then an influx of federal, state, and local COVID-19 stimulus grants fueled a surge in orders, overwhelming manufacturers, and in many cases, quadrupling back orders.

But the main reason is the consolidation of the fire equipment manufacturing industry. Three companies now control over 70% of the market. Reporting from The New York Times found that over the past 25 years, private equity firms bought struggling small and mid-sized manufacturers and started demanding greater profit margins. Instead of expanding production to meet demand, they closed facilities, leading to even longer delays and price manipulation.

It’s just a matter of time before lives are lost as emergency response times lengthen and fire danger rises with climate change. This past January, the crisis was made painfully real during the Palisades wildfire. Over 100 fire vehicles were out of service, leaving firefighters scrambling to cover critical areas with fewer resources.

So, what can be done? We need immediate and concerted action — from lawmakers, regulators, and cities — to ensure fire departments can do what they were created to do: Protect lives and property without delay or failure.

At the National League of Cities Public Safety & Crime Prevention Committee’s annual meeting in March, I presented this case, and the committee deemed the shortage a top priority. Then, I lobbied Congress to launch an antitrust investigation. I met with 14 federal lawmakers or their staff on both sides of the aisle, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Jim Banks, who sent a formal request to the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission to begin antitrust investigations. Sens. Josh Hawley and Andy Kim sent a joint letter to the three leading manufacturers, asking for documentation and demanding an explanation.

But an investigation is just the first step. We need, at the least, a federal oversight committee that protects the interests of the nation’s public safety infrastructure and the people they have vowed to protect. Here are my recommendations for Congress:

1. Investigate the effects of industry consolidation —and potentially criminal anti-trust business activities — on fire apparatus manufacturing and pricing.
2. Support policy solutions that foster competition to address supply chain vulnerabilities and support domestic manufacturing.
3. Facilitate legislative action to strengthen the supply chain and hold fire apparatus manufacturers accountable for timely deliveries and high-quality production.
4. Consider federal funding programs to help fire departments acquire new apparatus and maintain existing fleets.
5. Examine the effects of private equity on critical infrastructure industries.
6. Consider legislation to provide more oversight of the fire apparatus industry.

Clearly, the system is broken. Soaring prices are holding fire departments hostage, and manufacturers are failing to deliver lifesaving equipment.

I invite you to join me and the California Fire Service Leadership Alliance to fight for the safety of all Californians. Here are a few ways you can help:

1. Be prepared to join the upcoming request to the California Attorney General for a formal investigation.
2. Reach out to your federal representative and ask them to take action.
3. Put pressure on industry groups with large voices — not only firefighter associations, but also those representing city managers and elected officials — to not shy away from the matter.

Like any other industry that has the potential for loss of life if it fails, such as aviation, there must be legislative boundaries for fire equipment manufacturers. Fire engines are literally the backbone of the fire service. We cannot afford to be in this space. Laws that establish firm, reliable production times and pragmatic price increases must be implemented.

By forming a united front and applying pressure, we can sleep well knowing that firefighters are able to do their job — keeping us all safe.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the views or positions of Western City, the League of California Cities, or its members. Are you interested in submitting an op-ed on an issue important to city leaders? Send a short pitch to editor@westerncity.com.