The Guthrie City Council unanimously approved four agenda items during its July 7 meeting, authorizing the City to retain the Oklahoma City law firm McAfee & Taft to pursue two separate legal matters involving alleged price collusion in the fire truck industry and PFAS contamination.
Council members approved resolutions authorizing the firm to represent the City in potential claims against certain fire truck manufacturers, as well as manufacturers that produced or distributed PFAS, commonly referred to as “forever chemicals.”
The first action authorizes McAfee & Taft to pursue claims against several fire truck manufacturers and other defendants for alleged antitrust violations, price collusion, and related claims.
The decision comes as municipalities across the country have alleged that a handful of major fire truck manufacturers conspired to limit production and artificially inflate prices, driving up costs for local governments. Similar lawsuits have already been filed by cities and counties in multiple states, including Oklahoma.
According to those lawsuits, the price of a standard fire truck has increased dramatically over the past decade. Trucks that once cost approximately $500,000 now often exceed $1 million, while specialized apparatus can cost more than $2 million. The lawsuits also claim delivery times have stretched from roughly 18 months to more than four years, forcing many fire departments to continue operating aging equipment.
Manufacturers named in other lawsuits have pointed to pandemic-related supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, manufacturing challenges, and unprecedented demand as contributing factors to higher prices and longer wait times.
The council also approved retaining McAfee & Taft to pursue claims related to PFAS contamination against manufacturers, including 3M and DuPont, along with other potential defendants.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of man-made chemicals that have been widely used for decades in products such as firefighting foam and industrial manufacturing. The chemicals are known for their resistance to breaking down in the environment, earning them the nickname “forever chemicals.”
Communities across the country have filed lawsuits seeking compensation for the costs associated with testing, monitoring, and cleaning up PFAS contamination in drinking water systems.
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