Two companies put in bids for the new trucks. But at more than 300-thousand dollars a truck, council members have concerns about why the fire department opted for the more expensive bid. Council members said they are looking after the taxpayers' dollars. That's why they delayed a vote on approving money for the trucks for a week, while the Fire Department gathers information to make the case that the more expensive trucks are better. Firefighters use pumper trucks to get water to a fire. Many of the trucks used by the Memphis Fire Department are made by Emergency One or E-One, but there are some more than a decade old, still on the front lines made by another company called Pierce.

On Tuesday, the Memphis Fire Department asked the council to approve more than a million and a half dollars for the purchase of five new fire trucks made by E-One. Brent Taylor, Memphis City Council said, "For what we're spending on 10 trucks with E-One we could get 11 trucks with Pierce. You buy ten, get one free if you take the lower bid." Taylor says the fire department will eventually ask for a total of ten trucks. The problem before the council, the Pierce trucks cost 30-thousand dollars less than the E-One trucks. If you buy 10 trucks, that's 150-thousand dollars more. E.C. Jones, Memphis City Council said, "It bothers me when someone tells me that is the only truck we can purchase that will do the job for the Memphis Fire Department, and costs 30-thousand dollars more." We asked the president of the Memphis Fire Fighters Association which truck is better. Terry Oldham, Memphis Firefighters Association said, "As far as firefighting goes they're both good pieces of equipment."