CORTLAND, N.Y. (WHCU) – Some fire departments in Cortland County will get new equipment.

The City of Cortland and the Towns of Marathon and Willet are getting an Assistance to Firefighters grant from FEMA. The $574,545 award will help replace vital personal protective equipment used in the line of duty. The equipment is called Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) and is used to help allow firefighters to enter structure fires or other oxygen deprived environments.

The current gear is 14 years old, at the end of their service life and costly to maintain. The new equipment comes with a warranty period that will limit additional costs.

“Receiving this grant was crucial to the replacement plan for these important pieces of equipment,” said Cortland Fire Chief Wayne Friedman. The SCBA units, next to bunker gear, is the most important protection for our firefighters in their daily job duties.”

The cost for each individual SCBA unit is $8,000 dollars. Mayor Scott Steve said it would have been difficult to replace the units without the grant.

“The fire department’s diligence in seeking federal funding to acquire much needed equipment and apparatus is imperative to the fiscal commitment of the taxpayers of the city,” said Steve. “Without these federal funds, much of the $574,545 would be bore upon the city which would be challenging.”

Official say the equipment will likely be delivered sometime in 2024.