When the Pointe Fire burned through the hills of Santa Clarita on July 15th, it dangerously encroached on homes, a school bus yard and a synagogue, Congregation Beth Shalom.
asserted
it → burn → homes
Flames from the blaze burned right up to the playground of the synagogue's preschool, Rabbi Jay Siegel recalled.
"It was pretty touch and go," he said.
asserted
he → burn → preschool
Congregation Beth Shalom is a few miles from Fire Station 150, which houses a fire engine with more than 233,000 miles on its odometer.
asserted
which → house → odometer
According to Los Angeles County Fire Captain Aaron Katon, industry standards dictate that a fire engine is supposed to be on the frontline for 15 years, then 10 years in a reserve fleet.
uncertain
engine → accord → fleet
"Much of our fleet, the largest portion, our rigs that date back to 2006, 2007," Katon said.
asserted
Katon → date → 2006
CBS California Investigates has followed this problem since the Palisades Fire in January 2025.
asserted
Investigates → follow → January
A CBS LA drone flew over an LA City Fire maintenance yard, also known as the boneyard, where dozens of fire engines and trucks were parked for repairs.
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dozens → fly → repairs
Katon says departments everywhere face the same problem.
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departments → say → problem
Fullerton is also sounding the alarm.
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Fullerton → sound → alarm
Fire Chief Adam Loeser says the prices of life-saving equipment have skyrocketed.
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prices → say → equipment
He showed CBS California Investigates a 2022 fire truck the department purchased for $1.5 million.
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department → show → million
To purchase it brand new today, it would cost about $2.3 to 2.5 million — more than a 50% jump.
asserted
it → purchase → jump
In Pasadena, Fire Chief Chad Augustine says every department around the country is feeling the pain.
"
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department → say → pain
We're getting priced out of the market," Augustine said.
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Augustine → price → market
On top of the rising costs, he says they were recently quoted a build time of 45 months.
asserted
they → rise → months
That's why Fullerton, the County of Los Angeles and the State of California have filed federal antitrust lawsuits against several manufacturers of fire apparatus, including those owned by the REV Group, for what the plaintiffs call a "consolidation scheme."
"Private equity has played a pivotal role in this destruction of competition," the complaint says.
asserted
complaint → file → competition
On its website, the REV Group lists about a dozen fire apparatus and emergency vehicle brands under its umbrella.
asserted
Group → list → umbrella
CBS California Investigates reached out to the company for comment, but a spokesperson declined a request for an interview.
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spokesperson → reach → interview
During a Senate hearing last fall, the company's president, Mike Virnig, told lawmakers steps are being taken to bring down the build times to about a year.
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steps → tell → year
"We've continued to hire hundreds of, if not thousands, of skilled laborers, which is one of the biggest problems we have," Virnig said.
asserted
Virnig → continue → problems
"We've invested millions of dollars in every factory."
asserted
We → invest → factory
A number of Fire Chiefs told CBS California Investigates that high demand created supply shortages and increased federal spending during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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demand → tell → pandemic
During the Senate hearing, Dan Meyer, a Vice President of Pierce Manufacturing, was asked about allegations of collusion among the makers of fire apparatus.
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Meyer → ask → apparatus
"There is a lawsuit put against Pierce Manufacturing," he said.
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he → be → Manufacturing
"We believe it's without merit."
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it → believe → merit
In August, a joint motion was filed on behalf of the REV Group, Oshkosh, its subsidiary Pierce and Rosenbauer to dismiss the antitrust class action.
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motion → file → action
A spokesperson for Pierce and Oshkosh says the move underscores "the lack of factual support for these claims."
uncertain
move → say → claims
In May, a security camera captured LA City Fire Engine 274 in a rollover crash.
uncertain
camera → capture → crash
One issue being considered in the investigation into the incident is whether age was a factor.
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age → consider → incident
The department told CBS California Investigates that the 19-year-old apparatus wasn't equipped with airbags or rollover protection.
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apparatus → tell → airbags
Two firefighters suffered injuries.
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firefighters → suffer → injuries
Chief Loeser said modern apparatus are equipped with airbags and other safety features.
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apparatus → say → airbags
New backup cameras are especially helpful when fire crews are backing out of tight canyons, firefighters claim.
uncertain
firefighters → back → canyons
"[Backup cameras and airbags are] required on all personal vehicles," Loeser said.
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Loeser → require → vehicles
"So when we have our firefighters responding to an emergency and they're going with lights and sirens, they need to be just as protected."
At the La Verne Fire Department, an engine was delivered in 2024, three years after it was ordered.
asserted
it → have → 2024
"We get it on the road, and within several weeks the diesel motor had effectively completely, catastrophically blown up," said Chris Nigg, who was fire chief at the time.
asserted
who → get → time
"It had to be rebuilt, torn down entirely, and then it took upwards of six plus months to get that done as well."
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that → have → months
He said he understands apparatus manufacturers need to turn a profit.
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manufacturers → say → profit
But their prices haven't plateaued - like other industries, Nigg said.
asserted
Nigg → plateaue → industries
In Santa Clarita, Engine 150 is still on the frontline because the 20-year apparatus is newer than the one it replaced earlier this year.
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it → replace → one
…and 4 more, not listed.
The Aporia
