LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Along with dozens of public spaces across Michigan receiving millions in federal funding, the Capitol City will gain millions of its own to help galvanize infrastructure and emergency services. 

“Lansing is not only the Capital City, but also is a city with long-standing infrastructure needs. These federal funds will support Lansing by ensuring sewer and water separation in underground pipes, providing new and up-to-date EMS equipment, and adding needed funds for a new Ovation concert venue,” Mayor Andy Schor said in a statement.  

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The city will gain the bulk of its funding, $6 million, for the Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) separation project which continues to prevent an estimated 1.65 billion gallons of raw sewage from entering the Grand River each year.  A million will be allocated to the Lansing Fire Department for life-saving equipment needs, and $750,000 will be invested in the future ‘Ovation’ live music and arts performance venue that will eventually make its home in downtown Lansing. 

Several millions of the money earmarked for Michigan is heading towards Lansing’s Fire Stations for material and structural updates.  

The new life saving equipment for the Lansing Fire Department and EMS personnel is “critical for Lansing residents” according to city officials.  Some of the investments will go towards updating patient stretchers, heart monitors, patient transfer stair chairs, CPR devices and installing power load systems in ambulances, they said. 

“[The earmarks] will allow us to minimize the manual efforts we extend when we conduct CPR. It will allow us to be more proactive with our patient care and our bedside emergency medical services,” Lansing Fire Chief Brian Sturdivant said.

This funding comes after Lansing’s $175 million public safety proposal passed which would help with renovations and administrative costs for the Lansing Fire Department upwards of $23 million and nearly $14 million for fire station replacement costs according to the Lansing State Journal.

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At a public conference after the bill’s passing Fire Chief Sturdivant weighed in on the many benefits of the package.  The baseline would include separation of toxic firefighting materials from living quarters and separate living space for female firefighters.