COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The Columbus Division of Fire is running out of vehicles, and union members caution the shortage may soon affect residents.

Emails shared with NBC4 Investigates show the division’s fleet finance department has been asking for funding for years. With requests unfulfilled, union members worry neighborhoods could be left underserviced, and the upcoming graduation of current trainees is now uncertain. However, the city says the fleet is fine and there is no need for concern.

Thursday’s training was canceled after the 103 recruits, 39 cadets and 421 apprentice program members of the 122 Class were left with only three outdated vehicles. The union said CFD members were given a choice between potentially taking a truck away from a neighborhood to train with or undertraining recruits.

“Both options are unacceptable, and neither should be normalized,” fire union President Steve Stein wrote in a union statement sent to the city Thursday.

According to CFD records, funding for fire vehicles has been underbudget by $7 million-11 million for the past 10 years. City records show CFD only has $7.518 million budgeted each year for any vehicle replacement or facility updates, and this number is not scheduled to increase year over year through 2030. Just fulfilling the most recent fleet replacement recommendation would cost nearly $19 million.

“Cities across the country, including Columbus, are facing drastic price increases for emergency vehicles, and significantly longer production/delivery times,” A city spokesperson said. “As those costs and delays increase, we must still responsibly manage taxpayer dollars and work within the budget we have.”

After the pandemic, the time required to manufacture vehicles increased from about 12 months to anywhere between two and four years. A 2024 fleet analysis found manufacturing prices have also increased by 45% each year, with CFD’s fleet budget only increasing by 26%.

The city provided examples of long wait times for vehicle delivery including an order for ambulances in December 2023. That was received this March. Two pumpers were ordered in November 2022 and again, received this month. 

The Department of Public Safety also pointed to three pieces of legislation, one that passed on Monday, March 24. This one was for the purchase of 1 ladder vehicle, two medics and three re-chassis of existing medics. Two pending ordinances will go before council in April for the purchase of two engines and one ladder vehicle. 

The department sent along a statement from the Division of Fleet Management saying: “City of Columbus Fire apparatus is in better condition than it has been in many years because of the capital commitments from the administration over the last 10 years.”

By the end of 2024, the fleet analysis found 31 medics, 19 fire engines, four ladder vehicles and 11 specialty vehicles need replaced immediately. Of the remaining vehicles, 13 are categorized under “should be replaced soon.”

The union provided NBC4 Investigates with messages from 2022 cautioning CFD and city leaders about the state of its fleet. Members say that gap was not bridged three years ago, and the need has only deepened. City officials said fleet life expectancy is a conservative estimate and vehicles are “in relatively good shape.”

In July 2024, Mayor Andrew Ginther approved funding for $10 million, after which members reiterated the need for fleet upgrades. However, union members said these requests were unfulfilled, and it would be 6% more expensive to purchase them now.

In 2022, CFD members requesting vehicle funding said the division has minimized costs wherever possible, such as introducing a driving simulator, changing its non-emergency use policy and “aggressively” seeking grant funding. During that 2022 presentation, CFD members said 54 of its 97 front line vehicles were beyond their life expectancy.

Since then, vehicles have continued to be used beyond their life cycles, and the monthly average of available extra vehicles in 2024 hit negative numbers. Union members say this was accompanied by increased demand on CFD as Columbus grows rapidly and COVID increased cardiac calls.

“It is important to stress: there is no decrease in Columbus Fire’s response capability. We continue to work on long-term solutions to these increased expenses amid current financial conditions,” a Department of Safety spokesperson said.

The 122 Class of recruits was set to graduate on April 11, but CFD leadership said their graduation may face eight to 10 week delays because of the vehicle shortage. Currently, their hundreds of trainees are sharing three vehicles from 2005.

Stein plans to sit down with NBC4 Investigates’ Isabel Cleary on Monday, who will share updates as she uncovers them. NBC4 also requested an interview with the city about the issue, but have not yet been granted one.