DALLAS — Dallas Fire Rescue's (DFR) fleet is shorthanded with more than a third of their vehicles out for repairs. To make up for this, the city is renting two extra fire engines to pick up the slack.
A memo to the Dallas City Council states that DFR maintains a 23-vehicle fleet of fire trucks scattered across the city. But nine of those trucks are currently out of commission due to mechanical issues.
They're using all seven of their reserve trucks to cover for the ones out for repairs, but that still leaves them two short of how many the city should have active.
This is why the city is renting two fire trucks to fill in the gap.
"These trucks are expected to be in service as early as next week, bringing us back to our full response capability," the memo stated. "It is important to note that our dispatch center utilizes software to manage gaps in coverage in real time by shifting resources to areas of need."
They expect two of the frontline apparatuses to be back in service in the next couple weeks, but the remaining seven out of service will have more extended repair times, the memo detailed.
DFR's dispatch center uses software to manage gaps in coverage in real time by shifting resources where they're needed, the memo added. The system is normally used in reaction to periods of high call volume, but it also helps mitigate response delays caused by apparatus shortages.
"While a shortage of available apparatus can represent a significant challenge to DFR, this is a temporary situation that we can and will manage," the memo stated.
