Tariffs push Tisbury to lock in on fire truck price

Tisbury is looking to buy a new fire truck, but tariffs are pushing the town to lock in on a $1.1 million price tag before federal import taxes lead to price spikes. 

Last Tuesday, Tisbury Fire Chief Patrick Rolston told the town’s select board that he’s found a “basic fire engine” for just over $1 million that matches the ones currently used by his department, but tariffs are expected to raise the costs. 

“All of the vendors pretty much say that, July 1, all prices are going to go up because of metals and all that stuff,” Rolston said. 

The Trump administration’s 50 percent tariff on steel and aluminum goods went into effect earlier this month, a doubling of the 25 percent tariff that was implemented in March. While federal officials claim the tariffs will prevent the import of cheap foreign metals and bolster domestic steel production, prices on a wide range of products, including vehicles, are expected to rise, and some companies are facing higher operational costs. 

The purchase of the fire truck still needs to go before town voters. 

“We have to go back to the town floor to get this approved,” Joseph LaCivita, Tisbury town administrator, said. While there is funding available in the fire department’s stabilization fund for the vehicle, LaCivita said the expenditure was not yet approved by voters. This can be done during a fall special town meeting or at the annual town meeting next spring. 

LaCivita recommended asking the vendors to queue the town as a buyer. That way, even if prices rise and voters don’t approve the expense, the town can “lock in” at $1.1 million. 

The price of the fire truck isn’t unusual. According to Fenton Fire, which sells firefighting equipment and lists used fire department vehicles, a fire truck price “varies significantly from $15,000 to well over $1 million” depending on its age and condition, and the equipment on it.

While the town considers its options, no vote was taken by the board on Tuesday.

Rolston told The Times on Wednesday that the new truck may look different from current fire trucks, depending on the final design that fits his department’s and town’s needs.

“We are trying to get the same kind of pump type for similarity throughout the department,” he said in a text. “We are trying to make the length of the truck short and under 30 feet, to help fit narrow roads in Tisbury.”