Ferrara Fire Apparatus

Ferrara Fire Apparatus (FFA) is a fire truck manufacturer located in Holden Louisiana.

History
Like a number of apparatus companies, Ferrara started with a local fire department that needed a truck and a firefighter who decided he could build one. Baton Rouge area pipefitter Chris Ferrara and fellow firefighters built a tanker for the Central Fire Department in 1979. The successful project led Ferrara to start a fire equipment distribution business called Ferrara Firefighting Equipment in 1982. FFE also acted as a full-scale service, warranty, and repair centre for fire apparatus.

In the late eighties, Ferrara Firefighting Equipment began refurbishing trucks and assembling new ones using pre-built bodies. Ferrara Fire Apparatus was formed as a separate company in 1988, building custom-designed apparatus. In 1998, FFA introduced its first custom chassis, the Inferno. Intended as a premium chassis, the Inferno was followed by the mid-range Igniter.

In 1994, Ferrara opened a new plant in Holden. The facility was expanded in 2000, 2005 and 2009.