The Ypsilanti Fire Department is financially feeling the effects of actions by the Trump Administration as it looks to replace an aging aerial tower ladder truck.
Captain Jameson Schultz says federal grants for fire service equipment are currently frozen. The cost of the truck has skyrocketed, increasing from $2 million to $2.5 million the past year.
Schultz blames inflation and other factors.
“I think a lot of the manufacturers are panicking about the tariffs, and they’re increasing their costs because it takes so long to build these trucks. You sign a contract on the truck, and you won’t get the truck for three more years. So, I think they’re increasing their costs in anticipation of that.”
Schultz says if the city moves quickly, it will be able to lock in the price for the tower. He says builder Sutphen Corporation doesn’t currently have an inflation escalation clause in their contracts but will after June 1st due to tariff concerns.
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