{"id":201,"date":"2016-06-21T15:30:36","date_gmt":"2016-06-21T20:30:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jonsmidamerica.wpengine.com\/?p=1"},"modified":"2021-03-17T11:03:50","modified_gmt":"2021-03-17T16:03:50","slug":"why-buy-used-fire-apparatus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jonsmidamerica.com\/why-buy-used-fire-apparatus\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Buy Used Fire Apparatus?"},"content":{"rendered":"
As you review your department\u2019s current fleet of apparatus, perhaps as you\u2019re preparing your budget for the upcoming fiscal year, you identify one or more fire trucks that need replacing.<\/span><\/p>\n Buying a new apparatus<\/a> is likely the first option that comes to mind. But did you know there are many advantages to considering a quality <\/span>used<\/i><\/b><\/a> apparatus?<\/span><\/p>\n For example, when the <\/span>South Callaway Fire Protection District<\/span><\/a> in Central Missouri needed to replace a heavy rescue truck, <\/span>C<\/span>hief Jeffrey Wallendorf was considering the purchase of a brand new quint. However, the department ended up purchasing two used quints for less than what the single new model would have cost.<\/span><\/p>\n There are two primary factors at play when purchasing apparatus and other equipment:<\/p>\n Let\u2019s talk about how a used fire truck may help you fit the bill on both criteria.<\/p>\n Related Post: How to Find a Fire Truck that Matches Your Department\u2019s Needs<\/a><\/p>\n As a fire department, you must constantly be mindful of making the best possible use of taxpayer money. <\/span><\/p>\n You have to win the approval of local officials to get your fair share of public funds, or you may derive funding from property or other taxes. Regardless of how your budget is determined, you have limited financial resources to work with.<\/p>\n You also have to justify the share of your budget allocated to apparatus, equipment, personnel, and other expenses.<\/p>\n This means doing careful due diligence on all purchases. You need to keep detailed records on budgets, deployments, and service demands to inform your use of funds for purchasing apparatus, as well as the decision of whether to select a new or used fire truck.<\/p>\n To put things into perspective, consider that a new apparatus can cost as much as $1 million or more. But South Callaway, from our earlier example, was able to purchase two used quints for $600,000, and the department had money left over to pay for a few upgrades so the trucks would be ready to serve the community\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n How large is your department\u2019s service area? How many stations do you have? How many firefighters do you have? These are important questions to ask when contemplating the purchase of apparatus.<\/span><\/p>\n For example, the South Callaway Fire Protection District serves a 175 square-mile area with five stations located throughout the district. The district includes schools, a nuclear power plant, large farming operations, and residential neighborhoods of all sizes.<\/p>\n According to the <\/span>National Fire Protection Association<\/span><\/a>, fire departments responded to 192.6% more calls in 2013 than in 1980, but 58.7% fewer of those calls were classified as fires.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n
Use Your Funds More Wisely<\/span><\/h2>\n
Optimize Your Fleet for the Needs of Your Community<\/span><\/h2>\n
#1: What is Your Annual Run Volume?<\/b><\/h3>\n