Ferrara Fire Apparatus
Corporate brand
UnclaimedFerrara Fire Apparatus is an American manufacturer of custom heavy-duty fire and emergency-service vehicles.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Ferrara Fire Apparatus is an American manufacturer of heavy-duty emergency-service equipment, best known for custom-built fire apparatus. The company is based in Holden, Louisiana, and was founded by Chris Ferrara. Its business centers on designing and manufacturing specialized vehicles for municipal fire departments, industrial firefighting organizations, rescue agencies, and other emergency-response users. A defining feature of Ferrara’s offering is its custom-design approach. Rather than limiting customers to a narrow catalog of standardized vehicles, the company works with departments and agencies to influence the configuration of a truck during the design and build process. This can include the vehicle’s chassis, pump arrangement, aerial equipment, body layout, rescue compartments, water and foam capacity, and other operational features. Such customization is particularly relevant to fire departments whose equipment must reflect local building stock, terrain, staffing, response protocols, and available infrastructure. Ferrara manufactures a broad range of apparatus. Its product categories include rescue pumpers, custom pumpers, aerial ladders, aerial platforms, industrial pumpers, tankers, rescue vehicles, and wildland trucks. The company also offers custom chassis families identified by names such as Inferno, Igniter, Ultra, and Cinder. Its aerial product range includes multiple ladder and platform configurations, including rear-mount and mid-mount designs. These products are intended to support functions ranging from structural firefighting and water delivery to elevated access, technical rescue, industrial response, and operations in wildland environments. One of the company’s notable products is the Inundator Super Pumper. It is described as an NFPA-rated fire engine with a very high pumping capacity. Its pump can deliver 5,500 gallons per minute from draft, with the potential to reach 10,000 gallons per minute or more when connected to a pressurized water source such as a municipal system. This equipment is aimed at demanding water-supply and high-volume firefighting applications rather than routine engine-company work. Ferrara’s manufacturing operation includes a facility in Holden reported to have nearly 300,000 square feet of floor area. The facility was constructed by Firmin Construction Corporation. The scale of the site reflects the size and complexity of the vehicles the company produces, which can require substantial fabrication, assembly, integration, testing, and customer-specific completion work. In 2017, Ferrara Fire Apparatus was acquired by REV Group and became a wholly owned subsidiary. The acquisition placed Ferrara within REV Group’s broader portfolio of specialty vehicle manufacturers. Ferrara nevertheless remains identified as a distinct fire-apparatus brand and continues to be associated with custom emergency vehicles and high-capacity firefighting equipment. Public reference material does not establish a precise founding year, current executive roster, financial results, or a complete geographic breakdown of its markets.
History
Ferrara Fire Apparatus was established by Chris Ferrara in Louisiana as a manufacturer of heavy-duty fire and emergency-service vehicles. The available reference material does not provide a specific founding year, but identifies the company as an American maker of custom fire apparatus and places its base in Holden, Louisiana. The company developed its identity around custom design and application-specific manufacturing. Its approach allows a customer, such as a fire department or industrial emergency-response organization, to participate in determining how a truck is configured. This model is suited to departments that need equipment adapted to local operational conditions rather than a fully standardized vehicle. Customization can affect the arrangement of the apparatus body, pump and water-delivery systems, aerial equipment, rescue storage, chassis, and other mission equipment. Over time, Ferrara expanded its product scope across several major fire-apparatus categories. These include custom pumpers, rescue pumpers, aerial ladders, aerial platforms, industrial pumpers, tankers, rescue vehicles, and wildland trucks. The company also developed branded custom chassis families, including Inferno, Igniter, Ultra, and Cinder. Its aerial portfolio contains a range of ladder and platform configurations, including both rear-mount and mid-mount models. This breadth enabled Ferrara to serve conventional structural-firefighting needs as well as elevated access, industrial response, technical rescue, water transport, and wildland operations. Ferrara’s manufacturing base in Holden includes a facility reported to cover nearly 300,000 square feet. Firmin Construction Corporation constructed the facility. The scale of the plant is consistent with the production requirements of large emergency vehicles, which involve fabrication, body construction, chassis integration, pump and aerial-system installation, equipment storage design, finishing, and customer-specific testing or completion. A prominent example of Ferrara’s high-capacity engineering is the Inundator Super Pumper. The vehicle is described as an NFPA-rated fire engine whose pump can deliver 5,500 gallons per minute from draft. When connected to a pressurized source, such as a municipal water system, the pumping rate can rise to 10,000 gallons per minute or more. This places the model in a specialized category for high-volume firefighting and water-supply operations. In 2017, REV Group acquired Ferrara Fire Apparatus. Following the transaction, Ferrara became a wholly owned REV Group subsidiary. The acquisition changed the company’s ownership structure while preserving Ferrara as a recognizable fire-apparatus brand within the larger specialty-vehicle group. The available sources do not provide a complete chronology of leadership changes, production volumes, international sales, or subsequent product updates. Ferrara is nevertheless documented as an active manufacturer whose principal identity remains tied to custom, heavy-duty fire and emergency-service apparatus.
Products and positioning
A custom-build specialist for heavy-duty fire and emergency-service apparatus, emphasizing department-specific vehicle design, broad apparatus categories, and high-capacity firefighting capability.
Rescue pumper
MVP Rescue Pumper
A rescue-pumper apparatus combining fire-pump capability with rescue-oriented vehicle functionality. It belongs to Ferrara’s broader range of custom emergency vehicles intended to support both firefighting and incident-response operations. The available reference material identifies the model but does not provide detailed specifications, dimensions, capacity, or launch date.
Fire pumper
Custom Pumpers
Ferrara’s custom pumper range is designed around customer-selected configurations for structural firefighting and water delivery. A custom build may incorporate department-specific pump arrangements, body layouts, equipment storage, chassis choices, and other operational requirements. The source material does not identify a single model year or complete specification set for the range.
High-capacity fire engine
Inundator Super Pumper
The Inundator Super Pumper is Ferrara’s high-volume pumping apparatus. It is described as an NFPA-rated fire engine capable of delivering 5,500 gallons per minute from draft. With its intake connected to a pressurized source, such as a municipal water system, its pumping rate can reach 10,000 gallons per minute or more. The vehicle is intended for demanding water-supply and large-scale firefighting applications.
Aerial ladder truck
Aerial Ladders
Ferrara’s aerial-ladder portfolio includes the HD-57, HD-77, HD-107, HD-127, HD-100 Mid Mount, SHD-100, FD-100, and LP-102. These apparatus are designed to provide elevated access for firefighting, rescue, and other emergency operations. The lineup includes different ladder lengths and mounting configurations, allowing agencies to select equipment suited to their buildings, response areas, and operating requirements.
Aerial platform truck
Aerial Platforms
Ferrara’s aerial-platform range includes HD-85 and HD-100 models in both mid-mount and rear-mount configurations. Platform apparatus provide an elevated working position for firefighting and rescue tasks and can be configured for the operational needs of the purchasing department. The source material does not state the individual models’ dimensions, ratings, or introduction dates.
Custom chassis
Inferno
Inferno is one of Ferrara’s named custom chassis families. It forms part of the company’s chassis offering for heavy-duty fire apparatus and supports the integration of specialized vehicle bodies and firefighting systems. Specific chassis specifications and production dates are not provided in the available reference material.
Custom chassis
Igniter
Igniter is a Ferrara custom chassis family used as a platform for specialized emergency-service apparatus. The chassis naming reflects Ferrara’s broader strategy of offering purpose-built foundations for customer-configured fire vehicles. Detailed technical specifications are not available in the supplied sources.
Custom chassis
Ultra
Ultra is one of Ferrara’s custom chassis families. It is intended to support the construction of heavy-duty fire apparatus tailored to the customer’s requirements. The available material identifies the chassis family but does not provide model-level specifications or a documented launch year.
Custom chassis
Cinder
Cinder is a Ferrara custom chassis family used in the company’s range of purpose-built emergency-vehicle platforms. It supports the customization of fire apparatus for different department and response applications. No detailed technical or historical information is provided in the available reference material.
Industrial fire apparatus
Industrial Pumpers
Ferrara manufactures industrial pumpers for high-demand firefighting environments, including applications where specialized water-delivery capacity and equipment integration may be required. The available source confirms the category but does not specify individual models, industries served, pump ratings, or launch dates.
Fire tanker
Tankers
Ferrara’s tanker apparatus category is intended to transport and deliver water for firefighting operations, particularly where a dependable hydrant network may not be available. The source material lists tankers among Ferrara’s product types but does not provide model names, tank capacities, or technical details.
Rescue apparatus
Rescue Vehicles
Ferrara produces rescue vehicles designed for the carriage and deployment of equipment used during emergency response and technical rescue incidents. Configurations can be adapted through the company’s custom-design process. Specific rescue models and equipment packages are not identified in the supplied reference material.
Wildland fire apparatus
Wildland Trucks
Ferrara’s wildland trucks are intended for firefighting operations in vegetation and other non-urban environments. They form part of the company’s wider portfolio of specialized apparatus and can be designed around the access, terrain, water, and equipment needs of the customer. Specific models and specifications are not provided.
Controversies
2026
Baton Rouge sues fire truck manufacturers over alleged price-fixing conspiracy
The City of Baton Rouge filed a lawsuit in the 19th Judicial District Court for East Baton Rouge Parish against Ferrara Fire Apparatus, REV Group, Oshkosh Corporation, Pierce Manufacturing, Rosenbauer America and the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers Association. The suit alleges that the defendants conspired to fix prices and restrict the supply of fire apparatus sold to Louisiana municipalities through the trade group.
Brand decisions
2017
Ferrara joins REV GroupM&ABackground
REV Group acquired Ferrara Fire Apparatus as part of its specialty-vehicle business expansion.
Action taken
The transaction made Ferrara a wholly owned subsidiary of REV Group.
Aftermath
Ferrara continued to operate as a distinct fire-apparatus brand within REV Group. The supplied sources do not provide transaction value or detailed integration plans.
Recent events
Reported
Baton Rouge sues fire truck manufacturers over alleged price-fixing conspiracy[3]
The City of Baton Rouge filed a lawsuit on Aug. 10 in the 19th Judicial District Court for East Baton Rouge Parish against Ferrara Fire Apparatus, REV Group, Oshkosh Corporation, Pierce Manufacturing, Rosenbauer America and the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers Association, alleging the defendants conspired to fix prices and restrict supply of fire apparatus sold to Louisiana municipalities through the trade group.
Sources3 sources
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