Norwich – The City Council unanimously approved a plan to use savings from several completed capital projects to fund fire station lighting, firefighter gear and equipment needed to respond to accidents on Interstate 395 for the Occum Volunteer Fire Department.

The City Council approved spending $27,659 from capital projects, including $2,227 in savings from other budgeted spending at the Occum department, to fund the new purchases. The council’s Public Safety Committee recommended approval of the fund transfers.

The Occum department responds to many accidents on I-395 but does not have equipment to stabilize vehicles involved in crashes. The department’s 12 firefighters do not have backup sets of turnout gear for fighting fires inside buildings. And the Occum station has inadequate lighting in the station bay that houses tanker engine firetruck. The transfer of funds will cover all three new purchases.

Alderman Joseph DeLucia, a member of the Public Safety Committee, answered questions by other aldermen on whether the city’s other two volunteer departments that handle crashes on I-395 could extend their territories to cover crashes in the northern portion of the city. DeLucia said because there’s no emergency cross-over along that portion of I-395, responders would have to travel north to Exit 18 and turn around, wasting valuable response time.

DeLucia did recommend that City Manager John Salomone ask city departments to create a list of prioritized capital projects that didn’t make it to the budget, so the council could draw from a previously vetted list when surplus capital funds become available.

Alderwoman Joanne Philbrick said one emergency did arise with the malfunction of the elevator in the Main Street parking garage that forced the city to close the elevator.

City Comptroller Josh Pothier told the council the parking garage elevator is a priority and funds are available in the capital contingency account to cover the estimated $10,000 to $20,000 cost.

c.bessette@theday.com