Milwaukee fire chief raises alarm about outdated fire trucks, engines

Milwaukee’s fire chief is sounding the alarm about the need to replace outdated fire trucks and engines in the city.

Frontline fire trucks and engines should be in service for no longer than 15 years, according to the National Fire Protection Association. There are currently five fire engines that are 17 years old and three that are 15 years old in the Milwaukee Fire Department’s fleet. There is also one frontline fire truck that is 21 years old and another that is 14 years old, according to department data. 

Replacing old fire trucks and engines would cost about $14 million next year, said Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski. But Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s proposed 2026 budget includes $2 million to replace fire department equipment.

During a recent city finance and personnel committee meeting, Lipski said the department would likely be able to replace one fire truck or engine with that money. Meanwhile, three MFD fire trucks recently failed a UL Solutions fire apparatus safety test, Lipski said.

“If we would have a ladder failure, that is almost certainly going to be deadly, especially at any considerable height,” Lipski said. “I can’t risk that.” 

Lipski said he often worries about the brakes failing or the ladder not working properly on an older fire truck or engine.

“And you don’t get to pick when it’s going to fail,” Lipski said.

Milwaukee Alder Peter Burgelis said he thought the $2 million for the fire department equipment included in the proposed budget was a typo when he first saw it. He said making sure the department has newer vehicles is an “investment in our community.”

“Ladders go up 100 feet in the air,” Burgelis said. “You put a human being, a firefighter, at the end of that who’s going to rescue someone who’s in crisis and in danger.”

“We have to make sure that the equipment we give firefighters is safe and allows them to do their job efficiently and safely,” he added.

Kenny Asselin, a board member with the Wisconsin State Fire Inspectors Association, said fire vehicles are exposed to harsh Wisconsin winters. That can cause significant wear and tear over the years.

“If you don’t replace these vehicles, over time, it’ll either cost more to fix these vehicles, or they’ll be out of service for longer periods of time,” Asselin said. 

The Milwaukee department does have reserve fire engines and trucks, but that fleet is also aging. Data shows the department has two reserve fire engines that are 22 years old and two engines that are 21 years old.

“We get to points in the summertime, especially, where we find ourselves nibbling our fingernails off because we have like one engine left, meaning one reserve engine left,” Lipski said.

Lipski said some fire vehicles are also being damaged by reckless drivers in the city. 

“Our rigs are getting hit with great frequency,” Lipski said. “Each one of those we have to repair. So we are doing everything we can to keep these things alive.”

Meanwhile, fire truck prices are on the rise, according to a recent lawsuit filed against three fire truck manufacturers. A fire truck that cost $900,000 a few years ago now costs more than $2 million, according to the lawsuit. Wait times for new fire trucks have also been on the rise, the lawsuit says. 

Jeff Fleming, a spokesperson for Mayor Cavalier Johnson, said in an email that recent city budgets have funded the fire department “above historic levels.” 

“We are working with the Fire Department to make sure they have the equipment needed to keep the city safe,” Fleming wrote. “That said, we face continuing challenges to balance all the competing demands for capital funding with the very limited resources available.”

During his budget address in September, Johnson said Milwaukee was facing a budget gap of $100 million in 2026. He said that gap was closed by withdrawing money from city reserves and increasing user fees and the city’s property tax levy. 

The Milwaukee Common Council is expected to vote on the budget in November.  Burgelis, who is the vice chair of the finance and personnel committee, said he will work to secure more money for the fire department in the budget.

“We’ll be looking closely at other opportunities and other things that may need to wait,” Burgelis said. “But I see fire safety and public safety as our top priority. That’s what my residents and constituents tell me. That’s what I’m going to work for in our budget.”