KEENE, N.Y. -
A year ago Tropical Storm Irene split the Keene, New York Fire Department in half. Fire fighters have been in less than ideal temporary quarters ever since. There wasn't enough money to rebuild... until now.
After FEMA didn't come through with the anticipated amount of money to rebuild, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today that the state will pick up the rest of the tab.
Governor Cuomo signed a $640,000 check for the Keene Fire Department Wednesday.
"There was a little confusion, let-down with our friends at FEMA, federal money that people were relying on didn't actually happen, so now there's a little bit of a shortfall, not that little bit of a shortfall actually... a pretty big shortfall," Gov. Cuomo said.
FEMA initially promised to cover half of the 2.2 million dollar project, instead they wrote a check for only half of the promised amount.
"Peoples lives literally washed away, the old Keene fire house cut in half, it was almost unimaginable," Gov. Cuomo said.
The new fire house will be bigger, better... and more prepared for the future.
"It'll be on higher, dryer ground," Fire Chief Jody Whitney said.
The old house sat on top of the river, but when Tropical Storms Irene and Lee rolled through, the house was under water. Flooding and wind damage forced firefighters out.
"It was very hard to watch, it was devastating," the Chief said.
They're expecting to break ground in as early as two weeks, and they're hoping to be out of the old barns and garages that they're currently operating out of by late spring.
With fire and rescue being an essential service, the crowd full of fire fighters and town residents were thrilled to be continuing to work toward a new, New York.
"I saw repaired buildings, replaced bridges, homes being lived in again," Keene Town Supervisor Bill Ferebee said.
Governor Cuomo says he plans to recoup some of this money from the federal government.
