The Marshall Township Volunteer Fire Department is willing to do whatever it takes to raise money for a $1.6 million expansion, including selling naming rights to a fire station and even to its trucks.

"We'll look at anything right now," said John Ashbaugh, fire company president and building committee chairman.

The department is also willing to put contributors' names on paving bricks, trees, benches and about anything else to help pay for the expansion of the main fire station in the Warrendale section of the township, Mr. Ashbaugh said.

Department officials broke ground last week for the expansion, which initially was to cost no more than $1 million, he said. Skyrocketing construction costs, however, made it clear that more money had to be raised.

"What we found out was there was no way we could build the building we wanted and needed with the budget we had," Mr. Ashbaugh said.

Last year, the department approached township supervisors for help and struck a unique deal, said Neil McFadden, the township manager.

The township typically sets aside about $215,000, or .25 of a mill, annually for the fire department. But after months of discussion, the supervisors agreed in March to loan the fire department $500,000 to be paid back, interest free, by taking $100,000 off that annual allotment for five years, Mr. McFadden said.

"Rather than have them out in the market looking for a loan, we were in a position to make it an interest-free loan," he said, adding the money will come out of the township's reserve fund.

Mr. Ashbaugh said the township saved the project.

"The township has been very good to us," he said. "Otherwise, the project would have died."

The newly expanded fire station will include four truck bays instead of two, a new radio room, meeting room and office space, in addition to a small kitchen and lounge area for the firefighters.

"There's nothing elaborate about this," Mr. Ashbaugh said. "Our goal was to build a working station that will serve the community for the next 50 years."

In addition to offering up naming rights, the fire department will use a portion of its savings to fund the expansion and continue with traditional fundraisers such as spaghetti dinners and food booth sales at events such as Marshall's community day, Mr. Ashbaugh said.

The department also intends to apply for a $200,000 low-interest loan from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and seek grants, he added.