In an emergency, seconds count. But the equipment firefighters rely on is taking millions of dollars and years of waiting to acquire.According to the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), the average price of a new fire engine has roughly doubled since 2020. And the wait times for delivery have stretched from 18 months, up to 4 and a half years.The IAFF has dubbed it the fire truck crisis.I think it does put lives at risk, Carmel Mayor Sue Finkam, a Republican, told Indianas I-Team.Finkam is supporting a call from Sen. Jim Banks, R-Indiana, for a federal investigation of the fire truck manufacturing industry.Sen. Banks, along with Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, signed a joint resolution directing the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate whether the three companies in control of 70 to 80 percent of the fire truck manufacturing industry are violating anti-trust laws by price gouging, price fixing, or otherwise manipulating the market.When anticompetitive practices leave firefighters without the equipment they need to save lives, it becomes more than just an economic issue, Banks said in a statement. This is about public safety and Im proud to join this bipartisan investigation as we fight to put the safety and security of the American people first.In the meantime, fire departments across the country are struggling to adjust to the manufacturing landscape. Finkam said the City of Carmel was recently quoted $2.3 million for a tiller truck that used to cost $990,000. And Carmels last fire truck purchase, Finkam said, took 5 years to fulfill.When I went to Sen. Banks with a request, I was like, this is a national security problem. This isn't just an Indiana problem, Finkam said. As private equity has bought these manufacturing companies and consolidated production, costs and lead times have gotten higher and higher.Carmel Fire Department Public Information Officer Tim Griffin said Carmel is well situated at the moment, but said the long wait times can turn an unexpected situation into a public safety challenge.If something were to happen, an engine gets into an accident and our backup has an issue, you're starting to get into problems, Griffin said. Were well trained firefighters. But without our equipment, without the gear that we wear, we can't do the job.The Professional Fire Fighters Union of Indiana, which has pushed for lawmakers to scrutinize market consolidation, pricing practices, and delivery delays in the fire truck industry, applauded the Banks resolution.When emergency vehicles are delayed for years or priced beyond the reach of local budgets, communities are placed at risk, PFFUI President Tony Murray said in a statement.The resolution directs the FTC to submit a report to congress in one year, detailing potential anticompetitive practices, the impacts of those practices, and recommendations on potential legislation to address the issue.The FTC declined to comment on this story, telling Indianas I-Team it generally wont discuss investigations since they are not public. ...read more read less