Too Few Trucks Puts Nashville’s Fire Department In A ‘Life Or Death Situation’

Nashville firefighter leadership say there might not be enough firetrucks to combat the city’s fires. (WikiCommons)

Over the next year, Nashville will be running short of firetrucks. The city has an aging fleet that’s in an out of repair. While the city is in the process of ordering more, firefighters could be scrambling in the meantime.

Speaking at last Tuesday’s Metro Council meeting, Mark Young, who leads the local firefighters’ union, said on any given day, there might not be a fire truck in some Nashville districts. He calls this a “life or death situation.”

“What that could mean is: If you’re on the forth floor or above, you might wanna jump. Because that’s the best you’re gonna get,” Young said.

Some of the city’s 40 firetrucks have more than 100,000 miles and are from the ’90s, which often spells drivetrain issues and other mechanical problems, said Rick White, the city’s fire chief. “Some of our equipment is getting quite antiquated,” he said.

Mayor Karl Dean has dedicated $6.4 million for new equipment to the fire department, and some of that money will go toward purchasing 10 new firetrucks.

Ordering them, however, is a tasking process, according to White. Things like road width around each fire hall and how many hydrants are in each district are part of the calculation of every vehicle order.

Each truck could cost up to $500,000, and it could take up to a year for them to arrive.