Equipment Held 'Together with Duct Tape' Replaced in Ilion with American Rescue Plan Act Funds

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ILION, N.Y. -- The Village of Ilion has updated some of its outdated equipment thanks to funding from the American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The Village of Ilion has updated some of their outdated equipment thanks to funding from the American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Some of the new items include turnout gear, saws and pumps for the water department; hand tools for the electric department; portable radios and barricades for the police department; and various pieces of equipment for the fire department, including new turnout gear and thermal imaging cameras.

Kirk Tupaj/WKTV

Village of Ilion Mayor John Stephens said that "some of the stuff was so outdated it didn't work—or they were holding it together with duct tape."

"I said we can't have that for their safety, so the board approved that. We went out and solicited bids on things. Our fire department was probably the biggest benefactor of that," the mayor added.

Kirk Tupaj/WKTV

Stephens went on to say without the ARPA money, the Village would still be using equipment that dates back to the 1980s.

The Rome Common Council met Wednesday night with a primary focus on American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding towards various projects in the Copper City.

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