Columbus Fire Engine Shortage Hits Crisis

Columbus fire officials, the firefighters union and Mayor Andrew Ginther have spent weeks warning that the city does not have enough reliable fire apparatus to keep normal coverage in place. The dispute burst into public view in early May, when city leaders pressed Columbus City Council to approve a new pump truck before a price quote expired. The argument is not about a single vehicle. Union leaders and city officials have said the shortage reflects an aging fleet, long replacement timelines and repeated breakdowns that force crews to respond in substitute apparatus. Local reporting also shows the pressure is landing at the same time the city is debating staffing levels and overtime inside the Division of Fire. ### Why are Columbus fire officials calling this a crisis now? May 4 was the clearest public marker. NBC4 reported that Ginther and top fire leaders accused council of delaying a vote on a new pump truck even as Columbus was already facing a vehicle shortage. The mayor said the legislation had been pending for 55 days and warned that further delay increased risk to cost, delivery timelines and readiness. (nbc4i.com) A March 2025 investigation by NBC4 had found that 65 Columbus Division of Fire vehicles needed to be replaced immediately, and the station reported in May 2026 that the replacement process was still underway. ABC6, in a separate report published this month, said the department was “running out of time — and reliable fire engines,” citing city leaders and firefighters describing an “apparatus crisis.” (nbc4i.com) ### What does the shortage look like on emergency calls? Steve Stein, president of Columbus Fire Fighters IAFF Local 67, told NBC4 that firefighters had recently responded to a fire with multiple victims using “a different type of apparatus” than would normally be required. He said crews in the second and third battalions made two rescues without the equipment they typically rely on. (nbc4i.com) ABC6 reported that many of the city’s fire vehicles were old, breaking down and needing constant repairs. That account matches the union’s broader warning that the shortage is not only about replacement schedules on paper, but about whether the right engine is available when tones drop. ### How much does a new engine cost, and why did the vote matter? (nbc4i.com) The contract at the center of the May fight was for a new pump truck from Dublin-based manufacturer Sutphen. NBC4 reported that the bid under consideration was set to expire in mid-May and that Ginther said the city was ready to move immediately if council approved it. The same report said Sutphen’s quote was $1,263,945 with a 17-19 month build time, compared with $1,299,982 and a 29-month build time from Atlantic/Pierce. (abc6onyourside.com) Ginther said Sutphen’s offer was $36,000 lower and 10 to 12 months faster than the next best bid. The delay also intersected with labor issues at Sutphen. NBC4 reported that the company’s workers had gone on strike last year and had returned to work without a contract, a point council members said they wanted to examine before voting. (nbc4i.com) The Columbus Dispatch later reported that council approved the delayed fire engine deal on May 11 with added safeguards tied to the labor dispute. ### Is this only a truck problem, or is staffing part of it too? May 11 reporting from WBNS-10TV showed the apparatus issue is unfolding alongside a separate argument over engine staffing. The station reported that Columbus fire says engines are staffed with at least three firefighters during the day and four at night, while Local 67 says four-person staffing is the standard and the safer model for interior attacks and other high-risk calls. (nbc4i.com) The city’s own Division of Fire page says the Emergency Services Bureau coordinates daily staffing for 33 fire stations. That means equipment shortages and staffing decisions are both affecting how the system covers calls across Columbus on a day-to-day basis. ### What happens next for Columbus residents? May 11 settled the immediate question of whether council would approve the delayed engine contract, but it did not resolve the broader replacement backlog. (10tv.com) The public record now shows one approved purchase, an earlier finding that 65 vehicles needed immediate replacement, and continuing debate over staffing and overtime as the city manages the fire budget. (columbus.gov) The next concrete steps will come through Columbus City Council contracts, city budget actions and additional fleet purchases by the Division of Fire. Columbus publishes council actions in its City Bulletin, and the city’s 2026 operating budget includes public-safety funding that adds one fire class and up to 45 new firefighters. (columbus.gov) (dispatch.com)