CSFD dealing with budget woes, aging equipment
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — If you call 911, there is a chance that a fire engine from the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) could respond, but it could be with a seriously outdated apparatus.
New information from the department reveals it doesn’t have enough in the budget to be able to replace or obtain new trucks.
In 2016, the fire department paid roughly $400,000 for an engine, but present-day, similar trucks are going for upwards of $800,000. On top of supply chain issues causing delays to receive the trucks and a limited operating budget, there is a serious problem, according to CSFD.
A budget of $1,023,000 dollars is allocated every year for engine apparatus replacement for CSFD. There are 32 heavy apparatus engines across the city, but some are decades old and need to be retired.
It’s normal for engines to be replaced every 12 years, but CSFD said it is pushing 17 years before retiring a truck. On top of that, it is taking upwards of four years from the date of ordering one to receive it.
Add that to a rapidly growing city, and there is an issue, according to Lt. Aaron McConnellouge.
“Right now, we’re sitting about ten vehicles behind. So even if we replace that or if we place that order today, we’re still waiting several years before we actually even see those vehicles. But with a limited budget, we’re just really tight on when we can place an order,” McConnellouge said. “And with the cost of inflation for the fire trucks and the delayed delivery times, it’s been very, very challenging.”
According to a recent report from the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control that compiled data from fire departments across the state, 86% of fire departments said they did not have enough funding to address their top three needs–apparatus, training and Personal Protection Equipment (PPE).
This puts not only the first responders in danger from not being able to do their jobs efficiently, but also threatens the wellbeing of citizens needing their assistance.
“We need the reliability when we’re talking about people’s lives and people’s homes and not having to deal with mechanical issues and failures on vehicles,” McConnellouge said.
It is not uncommon, according to department management, for some engines to mechanically fail when responding to calls, which is why maintenance of the existing rigs is important.
“Every single Monday, the vehicles go through a more detailed evaluation at the fire station. And then as far as how often they come in, like I said, that’s going to be based off the number of miles that they actually put on,” he said.
The shortages affect parts being ordered too. Which is why technicians have to sometimes make the parts themselves just to keep an engine on the line.
“Currently the city is trying to get more fire stations in place just so we can, you know, meet the response and the growing need of the community as we’ve continued to grow and grow,” McConnellouge said. “But, you know, once we have budget constraints, that really puts a crunch on us as far as being able to meet the needs to purchase the apparatus to be able to fulfill the needs for the growth that’s going on within the city.”
FOX21 News reached out to the city to ask if a budget increase is allotted specifically for engine apparatus replacements, and the city said it is something they will need time to consider and evaluate.
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