by Wesley Harris
Lincoln Parish Fire District No. 1 is working to keep its aging fleet on the road by rebuilding fire engines the department already owns, a strategy Chief Kevin Reynolds says can save hundreds of thousands of dollars per truck.
The district has refurbished two older trucks and hopes to complete four more next year. At roughly $200,000 apiece, the work costs substantially less than purchasing new trucks.
A new fire truck can cost $600,000, while a highly customized, fully equipped truck can approach $1 million.
“It’s easy to get to $1 million with a new fire truck. Easy,” Reynolds said.
Many of the district’s original trucks remain dependable. The older Mack trucks have served the department for decades, and Reynolds said their engines and other mechanical components remain in good condition.
The parts used to fight fires, however, are wearing out.
“They’re in great shape and they’re really dependable. It’s just the pumps and the tanks are wearing out,” Reynolds said.
Replacing those components can give an otherwise sound truck a much longer working life. The district’s refurbishment work includes new pumps and tanks along with a mechanical overhaul.
The district has about 20 original trucks that remain in frontline service. Reynolds described them as more than 30 years old. The refurbishment program allows the district to continue using those vehicles while addressing the equipment most in need of replacement.
The district paused some refurbishment work while its fire protection rating was being assessed so the equipment would be available for inspection. It is rated Class 5 and is awaiting the results of its latest assessment.
Reynolds hoped the rating would improve but was uncertain whether it would reach Class 4. He pointed to changes in rating criteria and the challenges of serving a large geographic area.
Refurbishment has not eliminated the need for new vehicles. The district has purchased four new fire trucks since 2020, and a new rescue truck recently arrived to carry equipment used at car crashes and other emergencies.
The newer fire trucks offer air conditioning, more power, and other modern features. Reynolds said they also have spent more time in the shop than some of the older vehicles. Computer systems and exhaust-treatment equipment have added complexity and expense.
Price is only part of the challenge. Fire trucks can take years to arrive after an order is placed.
The district ordered its last group of large fire trucks in the spring of 2021 and received them in the fall of 2024, roughly three and a half years later. Reynolds said current delivery estimates generally range from two to three years, depending on customization.
The new rescue truck, built on a Ford chassis, arrived in approximately over a year after it was ordered. Reynolds said the district paid $392,000 for it, and the vendor indicated a comparable order would now cost about $600,000.
For the district’s older engines, refurbishment offers a less expensive way to keep dependable vehicles in service while replacing the pumps and tanks essential to fighting fires.
