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Fire department says pandemic has stretched apparatus lead times to five years; ARPA funds used for stations and safety gear
Summary
Baltimore Fire Department said supply‑chain strains have raised apparatus prices and lead times and described ARPA‑funded station renovations plus SCBA and hose replacement projects underway.
Baltimore Fire Department command staff told the Public Safety Committee that national supply‑chain pressures and pandemic‑era procurement surges have driven up vehicle prices and extended production lead times to as long as five years, complicating apparatus replacement plans.
Assistant Chief Dante Stewart and other presenters said the department received two ladder trucks and four engines recently and was inspecting five medic units. Stewart said two of the new engines were placed in service immediately and two more were scheduled for service the following day. He said the department expects ladder crews to complete training and place the new ladder trucks in service by the end of the week.
Stewart and Chief James Wallace explained market pressures: larger jurisdictions placed bulk orders after the pandemic, manufacturers faced parts and raw‑material price increases (notably steel), and that production sequencing often favors larger orders. Stewart said production timelines for new apparatus can extend to “almost five years” from order to delivery.
On ARPA projects, the department described station renovations at multiple locations (Engine 45 nearly completed; Engine 30 work on bathrooms and electrical upgrades; Squad 54 and Engine 21 plumbing and interior work). Leaders said Engine Aid station had been closed because undermined concrete from an earlier water‑main break and could reopen if board‑of‑estimates approvals proceed; the department said it expects work to continue with a targeted June reopening where possible.
Stewart said the department is rolling out new self‑contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) to move from a 2013 NFPA standard to the 2018 standard and is replacing hose that had been in service up to 20 years to meet recommended life‑cycle standards (hose typical useful life cited at 10 years).
Ending: Committee members acknowledged the supply‑chain challenges and requested continued updates on ARPA station projects and expected in‑service dates for new apparatus.
