Walla Walla City Council approves $2.2 million fire truck purchase
By Dan Thesman on Friday, March 27th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – The Walla Walla City Council on Wednesday night approved the $2.2 million purchase of a new aerial ladder truck for the city’s fire department.
The council voted unanimously to approve Resolution 2026-027, which authorizes the purchase of a Pierce 100-foot mid-mount aerial ladder truck from Hughes Fire. The new vehicle will replace the department’s current 2011 Rosenbauer 109-foot aerial truck, which is nearing the end of its 20-year service life according to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards.
Walla Walla Fire Chief Eric Wood told the council that replacing the truck is necessary not only to maintain reliable equipment but also to protect the city’s class 3 fire protection rating, which directly impacts insurance rates for local businesses and homeowners.
While the current truck isn’t yet 20 years old, Chief Wood emphasized the importance of ordering now due to significant manufacturing delays.
“The lead times right now are anywhere between 4.5 and 5 years once we do place the order,” Wood said. “We’re proactively taking an approach here to try and get it solidified so we can lock in a firm price and then get in line for that build and hopefully take delivery of that new ladder truck in sometime between 2030.”
The council opted for a 10-year interfund loan to finance the purchase, a move that Finance Director Liz Moeller said would keep interest payments within the city. By choosing a prepayment option, the city will save approximately $217,000 on the total $2.2 million cost.
The new Pierce truck offers several technical advantages over the current model, most notably its ability to operate at a negative 20-degree angle. This feature is particularly important for rescue operations in locations like Mill Creek, where firefighters often need to reach below ground level.
“This will allow our firefighters to be within that bucket and potentially at full extension be almost into the water without ever having to step foot out of the bucket,” Wood said.
When asked by a community member if the new 100-foot ladder would reach the top of the Marcus Whitman Hotel, Wood clarified that no ladder truck currently on the market can reach the top of the historic building. The department relies on ground ladders for heights up to the third floor but requires an aerial truck for anything higher.
The interfund loan will be formally authorized in a June budget amendment.
File photo of truck similar to the one WWFD has ordered.
