Utica Fire Department Awarded FEMA Grant

The Utica Fire Deparment has been awarded a more than $15,000 FEMA grant to replace a three-foot fire hose.

The upgrade will enable the UFD to better responsd to fire calls and improve public safety, according to a release from Mayor Robert Palmieri's office. The hose being replaced was originally purchased in 1988 and had reached the end of its service life, the release said.

The FEMA grant totals $15,781, which covers nearly the entire cost of the hose. The remaining $1,578 will be paid for by the city. The application to FEMA was backed by US Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, along with Congressman Anthony Brindisi, the release said.

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