Neal said the funding was a reminder of the nation’s increasingly violent weather and federal government’s commitment to helping disaster victims nationwide. “It’s the national principal,” he said.
Richard E. NealSPRINGFIELD - The federal government has awarded more than $15 million to Springfield to cover about half of the city’s expenses from the October snowstorm.
The funding from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency and a $170,000 technology grant from the U.S. Justice Department were announced Friday by U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet.
“FEMA has been a good friend to Springfield,” Neal said, adding that the funding is a partial reimbursement for storm cleanup costs incurred by city after the Oct. 29 blizzard.
The city spent about $28 million for snow and debris removal and related costs from the storm, which left sections of the city without power for eight days and forced schools closings for a week.
Sarno said the federal government reimburses communities 75 percent for disaster assistance, with the state possibly picking up the rest. The city hopes to receive additional federal aid, plus state assistance to defray costs from the October storm.
Neal said the funding was a reminder of the nation’s increasingly violent weather and federal government’s commitment to helping disaster victims nationwide. “It’s the national principal,” he said.
The technology grant will allow the department to make improvements in a variety areas, including expanding its data storage and retrieval capacity; providing 12 laptop computers for cruisers; improving prisoner monitoring in the cellblock and upgrading the department’s firing range, Fitchet said.
Fitchet said the federal funding is especially welcome at a time when police and city officials are contending with ever-mounting budget pressure.
Thanks to the department’s grant writer, Sgt. Brian Elliot, city police have won several million in grants in past few years, Fitchet said.