In support of public safety

With today’s vote, the Common Council made a responsible and necessary investment in public safety. Our firefighters cannot be expected to protect this city with engines and ladder trucks that are well beyond their recommended service life. Replacing aging apparatus is not optional – it is essential to ensuring reliable emergency response in every neighborhood.

This $10 million allocation adopted today as part of the 2026 City budget gives the Milwaukee Fire Department the resources to put safe, dependable equipment into service, and helps prevent avoidable failures that put both residents and firefighters at risk. We have more work ahead to rebuild a fleet that has been underfunded for years, but today’s action is a significant step toward restoring the level of readiness our residents expect and deserve. I’m grateful to my colleagues Alderman Mark Chambers, Jr., Alderman Lamont Westmoreland, Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic, Alderwoman Sharlen Moore, Alderperson JoCasta Zamarripa, Alderman DiAndre Jackson, and Alderwoman Larresa Taylor for co-sponsoring this public safety priority.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.