The Mesa City Council on May 18 authorized the purchase of 12 new fire apparatuses — nine pumpers, two heavy rescue vehicles, and one aerial platform — funded by voter-approved public safety bonds.

The purchase was approved as part of the consent agenda, which means it was grouped with other routine items and approved in a single vote with no separate discussion.

The new apparatuses

The Mesa Fire and Medical Department is replacing vehicles that department officials said are "nearing the end of their service life, require increasing maintenance, and no longer meet current performance standards." A fire apparatus typically operates for 15 to 20 years before age, mechanical issues, and evolving safety standards make replacement necessary.

The order with E-One, a Florida-based manufacturer of custom fire apparatus, includes:

  • Nine E-One Cyclone custom pumper trucks. Pumpers are the standard frontline fire engine, carrying water, hose, ground ladders, and basic rescue tools. They are the most common apparatus in any fire fleet.
  • Two E-One Cyclone custom heavy rescue vehicles. These are specialized trucks that carry extrication equipment (the tools used to cut people out of vehicles after crashes), hazardous materials response gear, and technical rescue equipment for confined space or high-angle rescues.
  • One E-One Cyclone custom rear-mount aerial platform. Aerial platforms are ladder trucks equipped with an elevated water stream capability. They are used for fighting fires in multi-story buildings and for roof ventilation.

How the purchase was made

The city used the Sourcewell cooperative purchasing program to buy the apparatuses through Fire Truck Solutions. Sourcewell is a national cooperative that manages competitively bid contracts on behalf of government agencies across the country. By piggybacking on Sourcewell's contract, Mesa avoided running its own bidding process — which can take months and requires dedicated procurement staff.

This procurement method is common for large equipment purchases by cities and school districts. It relies on the principle that one government agency's competitive bid can be used by other agencies, saving time and administrative costs.

The apparatuses being replaced will be traded in, auctioned, or sold, depending on their condition.

Bond-funded public safety investment

The 2022 and 2024 Public Safety Bonds funded the purchase. Mesa voters approved both bond packages, which directed money toward fire apparatus, police vehicles, and emergency facilities. The 2022 bonds funded the first wave of replacements, and the 2024 bonds continued the program.

The Fire and Medical Department maintains a fleet of apparatuses stationed at fire stations across the city. Keeping equipment on a regular replacement cycle is standard practice in municipal fire services — aging trucks break down more often, replacement parts become harder to find, and newer models include safety features that older apparatuses lack.

Mesa is one of the largest cities in Arizona by area, covering about 140 square miles, and its fire department responds to emergencies across a geography that stretches from the Red Mountain foothills to the eastern edge of the metro area.

The purchase is detailed in the consent agenda item on our meeting tracker.