Harrisburg firefighters get boost in funding from state budget

VIDEO: Pennsylvaniaโ€™s long-overdue state budget has been signed, delivering a $7 million service payment to the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire โ€” a sum that makes up more than half of the departmentโ€™s budget and will fund capital improvements, replace vehicles and pay firefighters.

At Firehouse 2, the wear shows in the battalion chiefโ€™s office, bathrooms and bunk rooms. Officials say even $2 million could go a long way toward sprucing up those spaces and improving day-to-day operations.

โ€œWeโ€™re there for the community and weโ€™re going to continue to be there for the community,โ€ Fire Chief Brian Enterline said.

He added that the funding will help retain firefighters amid competition from higher-paying departments.

โ€œGoing into next year, being able to fund our firefightersโ€™ salary at a rate that weโ€™re not going to lose them to other departments that may be able to pay more,” Enterline said.

Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said the boost was personally important following an arson attack this year.

WGAL-TV NBC 8 Lancaster

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