A national firetruck shortage is affecting cities and counties across the country. Fire departments are waiting years for new trucks, resulting in increased costs for taxpayers. Some firefighters are using outdated equipment, with some trucks older than the firefighters themselves.

The cause of the shortage is attributed to the consolidation of manufacturers, with private equity firms reducing the number of companies to just three. This has led to a backlog of orders and increased profit margins for the manufacturers.

Further details on the firetruck shortage and its impact on communities are available from InvestigateTV, which has conducted an investigation into the issue.