This source highlights the significant cost and time disparities between acquiring fire trucks from Chinese manufacturers versus domestic U.S. companies. While China can produce fully equipped trucks for hundreds of thousands of dollars in a matter of weeks, American fire departments are paying millions of dollars and waiting years for the same equipment. The core reason for this inefficiency appears to be a lack of competition in the U.S. fire truck manufacturing market, allegedly consolidated by private equity, leading to price increases, manufacturing backlogs, and difficulty obtaining crucial replacement parts, ultimately impacting public safety.