Fire Department Funding

The Fire Service will be undergoing a transformation in the next few years that will impact every single fire department in the U.S. These issues will separate the survivors from the perished.

Issue #1: People will be a lot more expensive.

It doesn't matter if you are a paid, volunteer, or combination department. The costs of having fire fighters will be increasing at an alarming rate. And it isn't just payroll, it is the total expense of having people fight your fires.

The four trends for the higher costs are:

Payroll. If you pay your fire fighters, the cost of paying their salary will be increasing. Add to that the cost of insurance, workman's comp, and payroll taxes, you have a explosive mixture just waiting to absorb your budget.

Attraction Costs. If you don't pay your fire fighters, you will spend more money finding and attracting volunteer labor. The facts are shocking. In Pennsylvania alone, volunteer fire fighters have declined from 300,000 in the 1970's to about 75,000 today. While the population of the state has increased by almost 100,000 people. So, how do you get new volunteers? The volunteer culture has changed. The time demands of people have changed. What can you do to attract more volunteers? There seems to be no magic bullet out there but it will cost more to find a volunteer and entice them to join your department. Of course, if your fire fighter force falls below safe levels, your costs may increase because you have to hire paid fire fighters.

Training. A brand new fire fighter requires much more training than ever before - just to fight fires. Add to that, specialized training such as confined space, rescue, water rescue, EMT, and other expertise that are being demanded of fire departments today and you get a large investment in your people - even if they are volunteer.

Equipment. Protective gear and equipment is more safe than ever. But that safety comes with an ever increasing price tag. It seems just to provide those who serve to have the safest equipment available. But the cost will be rising to keep your people safe.

The good ol' days of a bunch of guys leaving their jobs to fight fires for their community are long gone. And, along with those days, go the relatively cheap labor costs of having guys who fought fires out of a sense of duty, not because they needed to be enticed in some way - either by getting a paycheck or by other incentives to attract new volunteers.

The historical fire fighting labor business model is gone. No more free labor. So, savvy fire departments will begin to factor in these costs now and deal with them instead of getting slammed by the harsh new realities later on.

This issue will become more and more pressing over the next decade.

Read full story here

Fire truck financing: Surviving the credit crunch

Fire truck financing: Surviving the credit crunch: "Fire truck financing: Surviving the credit crunch

Economic downturn hits fire departments
Fire service looks ahead to Obama presidency
By John R. Hill
Apparatus budgeting consultant

Photo Jamie Thompson
Visitors to FDIC in March check out apparatus on display in the exhibit hall.

The trends are alarming — prices of fire apparatus are increasing dramatically while fire department budgets are shrinking or, at best, holding steady. What does it all mean for your department and what steps can you take to minimize the impact?"

Read full story here

Used Fire Trucks For Sale By Fire Line Equipment

To trade or not to trade your used fire truck......

As an owner (seller) of a used fire truck, you have a few options available to you.

1) Trade in your used fire truck through your new truck dealer or manufacturer Most new truck dealers and manufacturers will offer you a trade in allowance on the purchase of your new fire truck. Generally, the dealers and manufacturers will contact a used fire truck buyer that offers to purchase the truck upon delivery of your new fire truck. There are a few reputable used fire truck companies that have made this their core business. They buy and sell used fire trucks and equipment everyday. At the same time, there are few that thrive on the shady side.

The upside to trading your used fire truck is the convenience, but it stops there. Used fire truck dealers and manufacturers deal in wholesale dollars. The trade value of your used fire truck is dramatically different then the retail value. In other words, your $100,000 truck (retail value) may only bring you a $30,000 - $40,000 trade offer.

2) Sell your used fire truck on your own to a used fire truck dealer/buyer. The same rings true when trying to sell your truck to a used truck dealer on your own. The used fire truck dealer needs to be able to purchase the truck cheap in order for them to make a profit. Some are happy to turn a lower profit margin while others will walk away if a home run deal is not being made. Either way, the only one that loses is the seller due to the amount offered for the used fire truck. Remember, they only deal in wholesale dollars!

3) Advertise with a used fire truck broker that offers national advertising This option will bring you, the seller; full retail value for your used fire truck. Broker fees will range from 7-10% of your selling price and the advertising is generally free. Fire Line Equipment charges one of the lowest fee's in the business. We will advertise your used fire truck for free and you can keep your truck in service while we find a buyer for your used fire truck.

Unlike one of our largest competitors, we are an American owned company based in Lancaster County, PA with over 25 years of experience servicing, buying and selling fire trucks.

List your used fire truck today with Fire Line Equipment - We Sell Trucks Fast!

New Listing - 2007 Suburban Incident Command Vehicle

This 2007 Chevrolet Suburban based system delivers radio communications, data, telephone and video conferencing via satellite anywhere the incident dictates, enabling you to set up a base of operations at a moment’s notice.

Leasing 2 - Fire Apparatus Financing And Leasing

We would like to welcome Leasing 2 to the Fire Line Equipment website. Leasing 2 offers a wide array of finance and leasing options to fire departments that are purchasing replacement apparatus.

Leasing 2, specializes in providing tax-exempt lease financing to the fire and emergency services industry with heavy emphasis on fire trucks and fire stations. We work with all fire departments and have handled tax-exempt lease transactions in every state.