ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Anchorage firefighters are responding to emergencies in trucks that Fire Chief Doug Schrage said should have been replaced years ago.
“We have an aging fleet. We have a lot of pieces of equipment on the road every day that are older than they should be,” Schrage said.
The department’s fleet consists of 28 engines shared across 13 stations throughout the city, along with additional apparatus including one hazmat unit, four rescue vehicles, 13 tenders, five aerial trucks, one rehab unit and 30 ambulances. Schrage says much of the fleet has exceeded its expected lifespan.
New trucks ordered — three years ago
The department is expecting delivery of several new apparatus by this winter, but those orders were placed three years ago — a timeline that reflects a nationwide crisis affecting fire departments across the country…