The Center for Public Safety Excellence® (CPSE®) Center for Innovation (CPSE CFI) has released their second Strategic Scan on Fire Department Leadership Perspectives on Apparatus Capital Purchasing.

Data were gathered in October and November of 2025 with the Strategic Scan detailing the extent of cost and lead-time challenges, problems around aging fleet and maintenance, and concerns from front-line personnel and from authorities having jurisdiction. Fire Chiefs also indicated their use of adaptive strategies such as refurbishing and remounting apparatus, using reserve fleet, and modifying run cards.

Using the results, the Strategic Scan proposes six actionable takeaways: 

1. Prioritize proactive capital planning. 
2. Evaluate stock apparatus as a strategic alternative to fully custom builds. 
3. Extend apparatus service life where feasible through refurbishment and remounting. 
4. Engage front-line personnel early in apparatus replacement and maintenance decisions. 
5. Strengthen communication with elected officials around cost, timelines, and service life. 
6. Consider the use of cooperative purchasing and alternative funding mechanisms.