The Charleston Fire Department currently operates an aging frontline fleet of fire trucks that includes 19 companies, in 4 battalions. 16 of those companies are engine companies which are responsible primarily for water supply, fire attack, search and rescue and EMS operations, while 3 of the 19 companies are ladder companies and are responsible for placement of ladders, ventillation, search and rescue and techincal rescue including: vehicle extrication, high-angle rescue, etc. The CFD also operates a small and rapidly aging reserve fleet of fire trucks, which is made up of 4 engines and 1 ladder truck, in the event that one of the CFD's frontline trucks breaks down or is taken out of service for any reason, these reserve trucks are meant to fill in their role. These trucks have been placed in reserve status because they are too old and worn down to be able to operate them safely and reliably everyday. The average lifespan of a fire truck depending on mileage and wear & tear, is around 10-15 years as a frontline truck and another 5-10 years as a reserve truck. More than half of the trucks in the CFD's fleet both frontline and reserve are at the age where they meet the criteria to be considered reserve status or retired status.
Some of the fire trucks that are in service in the CFD (both frontline and reserve) are older than most of the firemen who ride on them and over the past two years the CFD's aging fleet of vehicles both frontline and reserve has really begun to create some significant problems for the department. On more than a few occasions the CFD has had so many frontline trucks break down that it's completely run out of reserve fire trucks and been forced to shut down companies, leaving portions of the city uncovered, sometimes for a few hours sometimes longer, until a fire truck can be repaired and put back in service. In many cases the fire trucks that the CFD mechanics have to work on are so old they can no longer order or stock parts from the manufacturer because they aren't made anymore, forcing the mechanics to have to fabricate parts to fit the fire trucks to get them back on the street.
