MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WV News) — Rising costs and longer wait times for new fire engines are creating challenges for the Morgantown Fire Department, mirroring a nationwide trend that has left local departments scrambling for solutions.

Morgantown Fire Chief Gary Freshour said that what once took a little over a year to receive now stretches into years, with prices climbing at a staggering pace.

“When I started in the fire service, you could get an engine in 12 to 14 months,” Freshour said. “Now, depending on what you want, it’s three to four years — and the cost has basically doubled.”

The department is currently waiting on a new fire engine that was ordered in 2022. The price tag: roughly $800,000.

The same truck would now cost close to $1.2 million, Freshour said.

“We’re locked into th

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