Committee hears alarm on aging fire engines and ladder trucks as department requests $30.4 million; mayor proposes $2 million

Milwaukee Fire Department leaders told the Public Safety and Health Committee on Oct. 23 that the city—s fire engine and ladder-truck fleet has aged beyond recommended service life levels and that modest annual capital allocations will not stop the department from falling further behind replacement needs.

Alderman Michael Bergales opened the discussion (file 251100) by noting the department—s 2026 equipment request of $30.4 million and the mayor—s proposed allocation of $2 million. "When I first saw that, I thought it was a typo," Bergales said, describing the fleet as an essential, basic city service.

Chief (Milwaukee Fire Department) told the committee the fleet is in dire condition. He reported the department has 43 fire engines (31 assigned to frontline duty) and 14 ladder trucks (eight assigned frontline). "Of my 43 fire engines, over 20 of them are over 15 years of age," the chief said, adding that six are over 20 years old; in the ladder-truck fleet, eight are over 15 years and three are over 20. The chief invoked National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) guidance that recommends retiring frontline apparatus around 15 years and said many vehicles require more-intensive maintenance to remain serviceable.

Deputy Chief Derek Peterbur (fleet and facilities) and the department—s budget staff explained replacement-cycle implications: without a material increase in capital investment the fleet will continue to age, reserve capacity will shrink, and the department will face increasing repair costs and operational risk. The department estimated that acquiring apparatus takes 18 months to three years from contract to delivery and that vehicle price inflation has increased replacement costs.

Budget Director Nick Kovac provided context on citywide capital demands and historic funding: fire capital requests have risen in recent years (notably requests of $7.2M in 2022 and $8.8M in 2023; $14.6M in 2025; and $30.4M in 2026). The director said one-time funding sources and prior special allocations (including security grants tied to the RNC in 2024) allowed some purchases but that the city must weigh competing capital priorities across departments and facilities.

Committee members sought timelines and options. Deputy chief said the next two years would be a heavy lift: the department requested five fire engines and three ladder trucks for 2026 and projected a more moderate cadence thereafter if higher funding is available. Members discussed the connection between fleet condition and the Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating, noting that degraded apparatus can affect insurance coefficients and broader fiscal impacts.

Alderman Moore moved — and the committee approved — holding the file to the call of the chair for further budget deliberations and potential amendments during the budget process. The committee requested additional analysis for budget amendment consideration.

Quotes used in this article are drawn from committee testimony recorded on Oct. 23 and are attributed to speakers who spoke on the record.