When a fire breaks out in any locality, the first thing people seek is to call the firefighters. Indeed, firefighters are the real hero and come forward when our lives and property are at stake of burning. But they don’t act with freehand.
These heroes are equipped with several high-end firefighting apparatus, and the fire truck is one of them. Since our buildings and roads have become bigger, the fire truck has become more complex too. It also has enhanced the price.
But how much does a fire truck cost in reality? And what is the costliest fire truck made ever, and who use them?
To know all about the fire truck costing, keep reading the article. and to know about painting cost check this truck painting guide
What Is A Fire Truck?
To those who don’t have a decent idea on a fire truck, here’s a brief answer for them.
A fire truck is also profoundly known as a fire engine or fire lorry and is a road vehicle. It is equipped with several firefighting apparatus, including a ladder. Some high-end fire track may even have aircraft rescue and wildfire suppression facility.
Sometimes the fire truck comes with built-in facilities, and some are customized on a standard vehicle chassis as per the local firefighting authority’s demand.
How Much Does A Fire Track Cost
To answer it shortly, a fire truck will cost way more than you expect. Yes, it is costlier than the most expensive cars in the world.
Image Source: Lloydsville Fire Department
If we had to express it in amounts, according to WSRB, a used fire truck would cost around $5,00,000 to $6,50,000. Such fire trucks will include a ladder, water tank, two-way communication radios, and sirens. Just imagine if a used truck costs this much, how much a newly purchased fire engine will cost?
Well, an all-new fire truck can cost up to $1.2M.
Penn Live once reported that Harrisburg firefighting authority spent nearly one million dollars to purchase a new firefighting truck. The exact pricing of the ladder truck was $932, 523.
On the other side, Lewiston Fire Department brought Engine 3 that cost them nearly $1 million as well. It had a 107 feet long aerial ladder. The local firefighters were pleased to get the new fire engine since their older one was 22 years old and almost became useless.
We mentioned the cost of fire trucks with aerial ladders until now. But what about the fire engines that come without an aerial ladder?
Well, these trucks will cost much compared to the aerial ladder equipped ones. However, even the lowest price is way more than the expensive cars that you can imagine.
So, here goes the answer.
A new fire engine or truck, without any built-in aerial ladder, will cost from $300,000 to $700,000. And make no mistake; it is only a basic necessity. The price variations come from the inclusion of cab, communication gears, and other essential factors.
While most firefighters prefer custom-built cabs, those who have a tight budget will choose the standard commercial cabs. It is ardently similar to those you see in the semi-trucks.
Here is a quick summary of the firefighting truck price in brief.
| Firefighter Truck Type | Probable Price |
| Used fire truck with ladder | $500,000 to $650,000. |
| New fire truck with the ladder | Around $1 million. |
| Used fire truck without ladder | $150,000 to $250,000. |
| New fire truck without ladder | $300,000 to $700,000. |
What Costs Fire Trucks Cost So much?
You must be overwhelmed seeing the stunning price of the fire engines, am I right? I understand it is legitimate since even the most expensive Ferrari 599 GTO was sold at $879,106.
So, what makes the fire truck cost so higher? What are the specialties of such trucks? Let’s dig deep into the matter.
- A fire engine comes with several high-end and technically advanced gears which add up to the overall costing.
- Most fire engines have night vision facility to move freely during the darkest hours. Also, inside the fire engine, you will see multiple high-tech communication gears.
- Furthermore, these engines and the body is made to withstand very close to fire even when the temperature rises above 1000°.
- The main costs come from the aerial ladder. These ladders are made of stainless steel to withstand extreme pressure and temperature. Also, the movement is precise and needs to act fast. All such benefits of the aerial ladder come at a higher price.
- It comes with space for water. Also, the fire truck has the technology to spray the water at very high pressure to a considerable distance.
Examples of Some Other Essential Fire Fighting Apparatus Cost
There is no ardent denial of the fact that fire engines top the list of pricing when it comes to firefighting equipment. Knowing such stupendous costing, you might be interested to know does other firefighting gear cost the same?
Luckily, the answer is no.
Since other equipment used in the fire department is not so oversized, the cost also comes down to a bearable range.
For instance, at $3000, you will get one set of turnout gears. It is necessary for each firefighter for their proper safety. National Fire Protection Association sets the standard for all the US fire equipment, and they suggested to replace the turnout gears for every 10 years.
On the other hand, a set of Air-packs costs around $6000. Air Packs are outfits that enable the firefighter to wear it and breathe while working the fire. Also, the annual maintenance cost of the air packs is about $150 to $200.
The hydraulic rescue tool used to cut metal and glass costs around $10,000.
Conclusion
Every firefighting gear is expensive. However, when it comes to how much does a fire truck cost, it goes beyond our imagination.
In fact, a new fire truck costs nearly $1 million and may exceed it due to heavy customization most fire departments ask when purchasing the trucks. The added aerial ladder is the primary responsibility for such stunning costs of the fire truck. Also, other fire extinguishing and fighting gears are expensive well.
Nonetheless, the high cost is understandable since all these apparatus have to save both people and property when any fire breakouts while protecting the firefighters too. And none of these is like walking in the park.
Hello, I’m Michael Rosales an expert in cars. As a little boy, I have always loved cars. Over the years I became lucky to have the opportunity to work as a car dealer. It was at this stage I became vast in the knowledge of cars, things you need to know when buying cars and how to minimize cost while still getting your dream car.