Council approves purchase of in‑stock 2024 Pierce Enforcer fire engine to avoid multi‑year delivery delay

The Imperial City Council voted to approve the purchase of a 2024 Pierce Enforcer fire engine, adopting Resolution No. 2025‑46. City staff explained the purchase is being advanced because custom build times from manufacturers have stretched to three to four years amid industry consolidation. A staff member described the vehicle as a non‑custom engine built to National Fire Protection Association standards and said it will meet the city's needs without the long lead time. “Because of lack of availability, this was a good purchase for the city of Imperial,” the staff member said. Staff also said the engine is already built and expected to be delivered by December or January if financing proceeds. The city will use a 10‑year lease financing arrangement and staff said the first payment may not be due until a year after execution, depending on final paperwork. Council members asked whether the city was "settling" by buying a non‑custom unit; staff replied the truck meets Type‑1 fire engine standards and will not be inferior for frontline use, though fleet uniformity across multiple custom vehicles is a separate consideration. A council member made the motion to adopt the resolution; the motion carried 4–0.