Dallas Fire-Rescue recently informed city council members it was in a predicament: its ladder truck fleet is shorthanded, and two extra trucks needed to be rented to fill gaps in coverage, WFAA.com reported.
One of those rental trucks has arrived and is already out of commission per the Dallas Fire Fighters Association.
It underscores how big of a problem DFR is facing with its fleet and how things could go from bad to worse quickly, the report said.
Since DFR announced almost two weeks ago that the fleet was in tough shape, another truck has also gone out of service per a fire official, according to the report.
DFR is specifically worried about how fast a truck can be pulled out of service versus the time it takes to replace one so the agency can maintain its full response capabilities, the report said.
The memo to the Dallas City Council states that DFR maintains a 23-vehicle fleet of fire trucks scattered across the city. But nine trucks are currently out of commission due to mechanical issues, the report said.
The department has seven ladder trucks in reserve, which are all being utilized now, according to the report.
That leaves the department down three trucks if you count the additional one that was sidelined since the memo went out, the report said.
