SALISBURY, Md.- The Salisbury Fire Department says it is facing delays due to supply chain issues, which continue to plague the globe. Salisbury Fire Chief Rob Frampton says the department has had to plan far ahead.
"We're looking at order times now of up to four years or more for a piece of fire apparatus so that definitely changes the way we plan things and how we budget for things. So moving forward we have to look far out into the future," said Frampton.
The department has also had to keep their equipment longer, which means more costly repairs.
“Maintenance costs have had to increase along with the cost increase for parts and labor not only has it been that but we've had more extensive repairs because these units are aging longer than what we had initially planned 10, 12, 15 years ago when we made the purchase for that unit"
Frampton says there is the option to buy non-customizable trucks but they are not conducive for the city.
"Our units are very customized to what Salisbury needs, what the fire department needs, what the city needs. You know small streets, tighter turn radiuses, you can go buy something that's not custom, you can get it quicker, you're still looking at 18 months to 2 years," said Frampton.
Frampton says it has caused a bit of a challenge around budgeting since city officials are not used to allocating money so far in advance.
