Members of Niceville Fire Department’s (NFD) leadership just returned from Ohio, where the manufacturing process for the department’s newest fire truck has begun. The issue; the truck won’t be completed for another 18 months due to a couple of frustrating factors.
Chief Tommy Mayville says that the delay is due to worldwide supply shortages as well as lingering effects from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The new truck will be state of the art,” Chief Mayville said. “It will house a lot of new equipment, like battery-operated tools [which help the NFD respond to car crashes where people need to be pulled out of their cars].” The truck will be geared toward rapid response.
Inflation hit the fire truck industry as well. The truck will now cost about $636,000. “It’s significantly more than it was in the past [to buy a fire truck],” Mayfield said, “manufacturers are having a hard time getting parts.”
