San Francisco will allow private funding to help pay for new fire engines

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A majority of the San Francisco Fire Department fleet is more than 15 years old. Best practices say those fire trucks, engines, and ambulances should be long-retired, and now city leaders are acting.

"Ninety-nine, November of '99 is when this one was manufactured, and it's still being used today," said Lt. Mariano Elias of the San Francisco Fire Department.

The 26-year-old ladder truck is one of the aging engines and trucks which now make up a majority of the San Francisco Fire Department fleet.

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"The recommendation is 10 years old max for a front line piece of apparatus and 15 years for a reserve apparatus. What you see behind me should be 15 years max, and we're over 25 years with the one here," said Lt. Elias, referencing the truck.

Last week, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie signed legislation allowing private donor funding to be used for aging fire trucks, engines, and ambulances.

That comes as the price of all three of those has dramatically increased.

"A fire engine for example would normally cost $750,000 10 years ago, and now we're looking at $1.5 million, so double the price to this day," says Lt. Elias.

On Tuesday, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors will take the fire vehicle conversation a step further.

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"We're going to be able to have legislation to fast track, to be able to get this equipment much sooner," said Supervisor Connie Chan.

The city could speed the process, but they'll likely still have to wait on the three companies making the trucks.

"To get a truck like this it could take as long as three years," said ABC7 News reporter J.R. Stone, pointing to a ladder truck. He continued by pointing to a normal engine saying, "To get a truck like that, it could take as long as two years."

Last month, the International Association of Fire Fighters urged the DOJ and FTC to investigate what they call an emergency vehicle monopoly among those companies that have reported profits in the billions of dollars.

"What they don't want is a monopoly. They don't want just three manufacturers building them all where they have us cornered," said Lt. Elias.

That could take some time to play out. Until then, it appears San Francisco officials are attempting to at least take steps when it comes to getting fire department vehicles.