After the Palisades fire ignited, the Los Angeles Fire Department's top brass was quick to say they were blocked by broken fire trucks and lacked the mechanism to repair them.

They said that if about 40 fire engines in the store had been repaired, it would have been a different battle with what turned out to be one of the most expensive and destructive disasters in Los Angeles' history.

At the time, the fire chief Kristin Crowley listed the disabled engine, which was why fire officials did not send more personnel to meet the fire, and as the wind escalated, why they sent home firefighters who showed up to help when the fire broke out. She said the department should have three times the mechanism.

But, according to Times’ comments on engine work orders, many of the broken engines highlighted by LAFD officials have been out of service for months or even years, not necessarily due to a lack of mechanics.

More importantly, LAFD has many other engines that could have been staffed and deployed before the fire.

Instead, the service record points to a broader problem: the city’s long-term reliance on aging engines.

More than half of LAFD fire engines will be replaced. According to a LAFD report filed with the City Fire Commission last month, 127 of 210 fire trucks (60%), while 29 of 60 ladder trucks (48%) operated beyond their recommended lifespan.

"This is not a priority," said Frank Líma, secretary general of the International Association, who was also a firefighter for the captain of the LAFD, adding that the frontline rigs "have never been hit as before" as the number of 911 calls increased.

This means officials rely heavily on reserve engines – used cars that can be used in emergencies or regular engines in stores. According to a report from the Fire Commission, the goal is to use more than half of these vehicles, but over the past three years, LAFD has used an average of 80% of trucks, engines and ambulances.

"This shows that the fleet, who just grew up, said Peter Hsiao, assistant head of the supply and maintenance department of LAFD in an interview with The Times.

“As our fleet grows older, repairs have become more difficult,” Huo said. “We are now doing things like rebuilding suspension, rebuilding pump transmission, rebuilding transmission, engine overhaul and so on.”

The problem stems from long-term funding challenges, Hsiao said in the interview that the department receives different amounts of funds each year and must be distributed among the needs of competing equipment.

“If you extrapolate over a longer period of time, you end up being in the situation we are in,” he said.

Worse, Huo said, the price of new engines and trucks has doubled since the pandemic. He said the engines that cost $775,000 a few years ago are now making $1.5 million — it will take three years or more to build them.

The number of fire truck manufacturers has also declined.

Recently, the IAFF asked the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the merger of emergency vehicle manufacturers, which led to soaring costs and “brutal” waiting times. At least twenty companies were included in only three major manufacturers, the IAFF said in a letter.

"These issues reduce fire departments' response to emergencies, which have terrible consequences for public safety," the letter said.

IAFF is the parent company of the local union of the City of Los Angeles United Firefighters, representing LAFD firefighters. IAFF has been operating in the local labor group since suspending its top officials last month on allegations of financial misconduct.

Huo said the LAFD's fleet was well maintained and the engines did not collapse often.

But even if cash is injected to buy new equipment, the age and condition of the fleet will worsen further because the waiting time is too long.

Mayor Karen Bass' office has previously said she received $51 million last year and bought 10 fire trucks, five trucks, 20 ambulances and other equipment. The 2025-26 budget adopted by the city council last month includes $1 billion for equipment such as 10 fire trucks, 4 trucks, 10 ambulances and a helicopter, among other equipment.

"The mayor's office is working with the new leadership of LAFD to ensure that new vehicles are purchased in a timely manner and put into use," a spokesperson said in an email.

Most of the fire department's budget is spent on salaries and benefits for more than 3,700 employees, most of whom are firefighters.

Despite the city's financial woes, firefighters received a four-year salary increase last year by negotiating with bass. Firefighters usually earn much more than their base salary, while LAFD payroll costs are about 30%. Data shows that firefighters and fire captains earned an average of $73,500 in overtime last year, with an average base salary of about $140,100.

While the new engine will be useful, Lima said, “a small injection of a year will not help with the systemic problems that have emerged for decades.” When asked if firefighters would postpone the raise, he said they “should not fund the fire department’s salary.”

National Fire Prevention Association. Fire engines are recommended to be transferred to the fleet after 15 years to upgrade in 25 years.

But many larger cities need to act faster, “due to the constant wear and tear of urban equipment,” said Marc Bashoor. "In my opinion, the 10-year-old city equipment is very big."

Bashoor also noted that incorporating various brands into the fleet like LAFD can increase repair time.

“When the fire department does not have a standardized fleet, the department usually cannot stock enough parts to fit every brand,” he said in an email. “Then they have to find the parts or use a third party, which can significantly delay repairs.”

Before the Palisades fire, three of the approximately 40 engines in the store were built in 1999. The engine is usually used for training and does not respond to phone calls, HSIAO said.

Those who are too old or damaged by collisions or fires that return to city streets sometimes stay in the yard, so they can be stripped for parts or used for training. Some are retained as evidence in the lawsuit.

According to service records reviewed by the Times, the 2003 engine burned the 2003 engine in a fire and said "rescue stripper." According to notes related to work orders last April, the damaged engine in 2006 is waiting for parts. According to notes from orders last July last year, two 2018 engines were damaged in a collision, one of which had to be dragged into the rear "heavy damage". Other orders indicate oil leaks or head gasket issues.

Almost 30 of the engines that were discontinued before the fire (70% of the list) have a history of over 15 years old, exceeding what the city considers to be a lifetime. There are only twelve more or less work orders. These include three newer engines – two built in 2019 and one built in 2020 – with service records showing they are awaiting a “warranty” repair.

After the fire, Lough Union officials responded to Crowley's fleet maintenance issues. Freddy Escobar, then president of the City of Los Angeles United Firefighters, accused of long-term underfunding.

"The LAFD has no funding mechanism to provide enough mechanisms and enough funds to repair these engines, trucks, ambulances," Escobar told KTLA-TV.

The problem goes back over a decade. one 2019 report It shows that LaFD's equipment was more outdated at the time, with 136 of 216 engines, or 63% available for replacement, and 43 of 58 ladder trucks or 74%. exist Report for 2012LAFD officials said they don’t have enough mechanisms to keep up with the workload.

"Most importantly, the department's aging and unreliable fleets, the backlog of delayed repairs is increasing and maintenance costs are increasing," the 2012 report said.

Since the Palisades fire broke out on January 7, Lafd's equipment and operations have been under scrutiny, destroying thousands of homes and killing 12 people, with many saying officials seriously unprepared.

A total of 18 firefighters were on duty at two fire stations in Palisades (Stations 23 and 69) to deal with emergencies. Previously, there are usually only 14 that can be used to hit the brush. The other four were assigned to ambulances at both sites, although they might help with evacuation or rescue during the fire.

The Times investigation found that LAFD officials did not head to Palisades before the fire despite warning of extreme weather. In preparing for the wind, the department was equipped with only five of more than 40 engines to complement the conventional firefighting forces.

Those work engines could have been pre-located in Palisade and elsewhere, just like they did in weather-like situations in the past.

Less than two months after the fire, the bass dismissed Crowley on the grounds that the chief’s pre-exploitation decision was one of the reasons.

Bass rejected the idea that there was any connection between the department’s reduction and New York City’s response to wildfires.

Meanwhile, according to records released by LAFD in January, the number of mechanics at work has not changed much in recent years, fluctuating between 64 and 74 since 2020. As of this year, the institution has 71 mechanics.

According to a report to the Fire Commission, the LAFD does not have enough mechanisms to maintain and repair the fleet, according to the time it takes for the department to maintain a single vehicle.

The report said last year, mechanics completed 31,331 of 32,317 job requests, or 97%. The report says they have completed 62% so far this year.

"With more mechanisms, we can reduce delays. However, there are limited facilities sizes, parts availability and warranty repairs," Lafd said in an unsigned email.

Special journalist Paul Pringle contributed to the report.