Many fire departments across the country have been fighting scarce local government resources and competition for those resources. Today, every fire chief has the responsibility to take a close look at methods of improving the management of their departmental resources. Fire apparatus is a key area in which improvements can be made. Determining before each apparatus purchase what its objectives are going to be and precisely what outcomes your community requires from it is a most critical part of managing departmental resources. The Grand Rapids Fire Department was recently faced with the decision of continuing to replace traditional aerial devices with quints or revert back to the traditional style. The present quints were purchased because of the increasing number of incidents when a ladder truck would arrive on the fire scene without extinguishing capabilities.Department leaders felt a quint provided versatility and options that a traditional aerial device did not. The purpose of this research paper was to gather available literature and information from the fire service to provide input to assist in the decision. The study employed action and evaluative research methodology. The following research questions were posed: 1. What is a needs assessment and is it a valuable tool for the purchase process? 2. What are the advantages of quints? 3. What are the disadvantages of quints? 4. Is the current trend for or against the quints? 5. What are important factors when purchasing aerial devices? 6. What is the definition of outcomes and should they be considered for apparatus purchasing? A review of literature began at the Learning Resource Center at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland, to gather data for this research project.In addition, a survey instrument was developed and sent to 85 similar fire departments across North America. The literature review and survey instrument obtained valuable information on the advantages and disadvantages, training, staffing, and standard operating procedures of quints. The literature also produced valuable knowledge on "outcomes" and their importance to the community. The findings of the research revealed there is not a consensus on the value or use of quints in the fire service today. There was consensus on the advantages and disadvantages of the quints. The research also revealed some inconsistencies on the current trends of purchasing quints. The recommendations of the applied research project included that a committee be formed and perform a needs assessment for the purchase process.This researcher feels performing a needs assessment and gathering additional information is necessary before the purchase of the two aerial devices. The goal of the recommendations was to assure a process that would provide "buy in" by the users, fill the needs for the life of the apparatus, and to provide the desired outcomes for the community.