The vehicles first responders rely on in an emergency are now causing local fire departments a financial headache. 

"It's definitely been a challenge," said Wake County Fire and Emergency Management Director Darrell Alford.

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He noted the price of a new fire engine has gone through the roof. 

"Since Covid, we have seen seven, eight, nine, 10% increases on the cost of these units," Alford said. 

County purchasing orders obtained by WRAL through open records requests show an even sharper price increase. A fire engine ordered in September 2020 cost Wake County more than $684,000. A new engine set to be purchased this year is expected to cost more than $1.1 million. That's more than a 60% increase in just five years.

"Once that money's encumbered, we can't use that money. So, it's a financial impact to the county as we hold that money to pay for these trucks," said Alford.

Even after the county purchases new trucks, getting them delivered is also a challenge. Records show some fire engines ordered in 2023 have not yet hit the assembly line. Alford said that means older trucks are staying on as backups for longer. 

"Over the last couple of years, we've had to keep many reserves because it's taken longer to get these trucks, taken longer to get the parts. So therefore, we keep many reserves around the county to have to fill in," said Alford.

Bob Overton is a member of Wake County's Fire Commission and worries taxpayers will be impacted if costs keep going up. 

"I think any citizen wants their fire department to have the best equipment," said Overton. "At some point, the consumers are going to feel that because they are, in essence, paying for it. But at the same time, they need the services."

Alford said Wake County's trucks are maintained to follow National Fire Protection Association recommendations, and as prices rise, so too could the average age of engines in use. 

"They're riding around running calls and one of their trucks breaks down and it's 18 or 19 years old they say, 'Really? It's three to four more years of this,'" said Alford. 

He notes departments nationwide are experiencing cost hikes. 

In May, a national firefighters union urged the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate three fire engine manufacturers for possible antitrust practices. Fire manufacturers say lingering pandemic related challenges and demand are to blame for the price increases and delivery delays.