CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) – Across the Lowcountry, law enforcement agencies wait months or even years to receive cars, fire trucks and other emergency vehicles.

The delays forced departments to use old equipment, creating an extremely frustrating and even demoralizing work environment.

The problem started with the pandemic, and now agencies are still facing major delays in getting the emergency vehicles they need.

“When we started a long time ago, things didn’t take nearly as long as they do now,” said Charleston Fire and Rescue Division Chief Trae Wright.

It makes an already dangerous job more difficult for the Colleton County Fire Department, which ordered two Ford trucks and six ambulances three years ago.

“Things keep getting delayed. They’ll call us and say, “Hey, your truck is scheduled for production today.” And then, they’ll call back a little later and say, ‘I’m sorry, he was pushed,'” said Colleton Fire Public Information Officer KC Campbell.

The eight vehicles have yet to arrive, and the department needs a new truck with a ladder on top of it. Campbell said they were told it would take four years.

“It’s taking too long,” Campbell said. “You have to be very careful.”

“I don’t know what the closure is. It is never the dealer; it’s always the producer,” said Hanahan Police Chief Rick Gebhardt.

Receiving the vehicle is just the beginning of the process…

Charleston Fire and Rescue waited two years to get two trucks, but still can’t use them until they are properly equipped and equipped with all the bells and whistles, including lights, radios and computer systems.

“It’s very frustrating, that’s what it is,” Wright said. “You wait, and wait, and wait, and there’s always a delay. There is always an excuse; there is always a delay.”

There are only so many South Carolina companies that can properly fit a law enforcement vehicle, adding to the backlog.

“Everybody’s getting new vehicles and everybody’s got to have those vehicles fitted and there’s a delay in that because they can only do so much at a time,” Wright said. “You’re at the mercy of everyone else, and sometimes it’s demoralizing.”

The problem affects all law enforcement agencies; including fire and police departments and rescue operations alike.

The Hanahan Police Department ordered six patrol cars about six months ago, and the dealership is just now receiving the vehicles, but it will take some time to fit them out.

“It can take a long time for the vehicle to be made and done properly; that way it can work efficiently and all the lights work to make sure it’s safe for everyone involved,” Gebhardt said.

If the required vehicle takes months or years to be delivered, what if the existing equipment breaks down?

Colleton’s brand new engine was hit during Tropical Storm Debby on the highway.

“I mean, an $800,000 purchase you don’t want to lose that look; you can’t replace it,” Campbell said.

Live 5 began investigating this matter when the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department received funding for a new mobile order unit with the order quoted for years.

In May 2023, a perfect example of this problem affecting operations came when a Michael Burham’s multi-day manhunt showed the department how much a new command unit is needed with older technology and limited cell phone service, making searching more difficult.

“When we have these big manhunts or these events or situations come up, we need a centralized mobile command post where we can communicate with all the other agencies,” Berkeley County Sheriff Duane Lewis said.

They still don’t have it.

Solutions are limited because the problem stems from supply chain issues and the number of companies that can do the job.

“You’re fighting,” Wright explained. “You’re robbing Peter to pay Paul, per se, but you’re fighting these companies that are trying to put them in a position where they can improve your vehicle.”

Now, agencies have to plan years in advance and be very careful with the materials they have, investing hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars in maintenance.

“It can be difficult to plan ahead because we don’t know if the vehicle is going to have any kind of problem,” Campbell said.

“It was very difficult to predict these things. In the past, you could buy a truck and be good for a while,” Gebhardt said. “Now, as soon as you get one, you have to think about how you’re going to replace it because it lasts so long.”

Some departments have hired or created positions for mechanics and fleet managers to keep their vehicles on the road as long as possible as they continue to play the waiting game.

“You start to see that you’re throwing more money at maintenance than anything else, and that takes away from other budget items. Wait for other vehicles to come into service,” Wright said. “This is a problem; it’s demoralizing. You sit there and it looks like we’re going to get this, but we don’t.”

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