Fire chief asks council to start bids for new engine as lead times and prices surge

Fire Chief Dustin Anderson told the Richfield City Council that the Richfield Fire Department’s fleet is aging and that the city should begin the procurement process for a replacement fire engine.

Anderson said the department, formed in 1924, staffs about 25 fully certified firefighters and responds to roughly 130 calls a year across Richfield and several neighboring towns under mutual-aid agreements. He described heavy commitments in 2024 — including extended deployments on the Monroe Canyon fire — and said those operations and routine use have left several front-line vehicles old enough to require replacement.

“We are comprised of 25 firefighters,” Anderson said. “Every single one of our guys right now is fully certified in structure firefighting, wildland firefighting, hazmat ops and awareness.”

Anderson told the council that the department’s newest engine is about 10 years old, a ladder truck is 21 years old and other engines and tenders range into their 20s. He said the last engine the city purchased cost about $800,000 and that comparable builds today are estimated at about $1.2 million to $1.3 million.

“The lead time on these trucks is crazy,” Anderson said, noting that manufacturing lead times have increased from roughly 18 months in past cycles to 30–42 months now. “There’s not very many companies in the nation that build fire trucks… the one that we like to use has a huge lead time.”

Because of long lead times and rising prices, Anderson asked permission to solicit bids and begin the ordering process so the city can lock in price and placement in a production queue if needed. He described two procurement approaches under consideration: replacing an existing engine or buying a dual-purpose tanker/engine with pump capability that can also haul water for wildland incidents.

Anderson said the county has historically contributed roughly half the purchase price for engines that serve a wider mutual-aid area and that staff will meet with county commissioners to seek a commitment. He also said staff plan to investigate financing through the Community Impact Board (CIB) and whether paying for a truck up-front to lock pricing is a viable option.

“One of the advantages when we did the last meeting was that we had been awarded the money,” Anderson said. “If we pay upfront, I don’t know if we could do all those changes to the truck… but it’s an option to lock in the price.”

Council members thanked Anderson for the update and raised procedural questions about residual value of surplus apparatus and whether grants or loan programs could cover part of the cost. Anderson said staff will follow up by meeting with county officials and CIB contacts, obtain bids, and return to the council with financing options and more precise cost estimates.

Next steps: Chief Anderson said he will meet with county commissioners and CIB contacts and return to the council with bids and funding proposals.