Dayton council votes to cancel aerial ladder order, asks staff to seek used alternatives and keep engine/tender purchase

The Dayton City Council voted 4–1 on Dec. 9 to cancel a previously authorized order for a new aerial ladder truck from McQueen Emergency, after a lengthy discussion about operational need, escalating costs and tax impacts.

Fire leadership told the council the city lacks a municipal aerial ladder and that nearby mutual‑aid partners have provided ladder capability in past incidents. The chief said the city’s largest ground ladder reaches only the second floor under some conditions and that aerial capability is necessary for taller structures and some commercial properties. Council members weighed that operational need against the contract price and projected inflation: staff presented a rough estimate that re‑ordering the same unit in 2028 could be several hundred thousand dollars more than the current contract price.

Council also discussed alternatives: buying a used aerial, deferring a purchase, financing through a bank placement, or swapping emphasis to ensure the engine/tender (which brings large quantities of water to water‑supply‑limited areas) remains in the fleet. The chief recommended looking first for a used engine/tender and noted the department’s future apparatus mix and mutual‑aid arrangements.

On a 4‑1 roll call the council approved canceling the ladder order but preserved the engine/tender purchase already in process; the council asked staff to actively seek used‑equipment options, verify maintenance records for any used unit and return with financing and operational analyses in the coming months.