LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - The Lake Charles Fire Department has unveiled the newest addition to its fleet, painted in McNeese State University’s signature blue and gold.

Beyond the striking colors, the truck represents a major investment.

City Administrator John Cardone said the new truck costs between $1 million and $1.1 million.

“The trucks are very expensive. The investment is very significant. We also have ladder trucks in the city of Lake Charles, which run around $1.5 million,” Cardone explained.

With a lifespan of about a decade, those costs add up quickly. Fire Chief Delton Carter noted that good maintenance can extend that timeline.

“A fire engine and ladder would roughly have a lifespan of 10 years. The one we retired was 20 years old,” Carter said.

To manage expenses, the

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