ROCHESTER — More than $350,000 of American Rescue Plan Act money will be bringing new equipment and more to public safety departments in Rochester.

The Rochester Select Board approved Tuesday, Sept. 17 a total of $355,811 in ARPA funding across six different items for either the police or fire department.

“Just getting everything up to speed,” said Rochester Police Chief Michael Assad Jr., who was sworn in to helm the police department in August.

The Rochester Fire Department will be getting 33 new sets of turnout gear — the personal protective equipment worn by firefighters — with $179,520 in ARPA funds.

ARPA money was also designated to purchase new badges for the police department and first aid equipment to outfit police cruisers, about $4,500 and $3,000 respectively.

Just over $7,000 in ARPA funding was approved for the design and construction of what Select Board Chair Brad Morse said was the “build out of the second floor area of the police station and storage area.”

The Select Board also approved just over $14,000 in ARPA money to purchase 10 desktops with accompanying equipment for the police department.

That funding and new equipment will replace every computer in the station, and each computer was at least 10 years old, according to Assad.

“This is bringing us up to speed on computers,” Morse said.

A total of approximately $147,500 in ARPA money was designated for the purchase of two police vehicles.

Those vehicles are a Chevrolet Tahoe and Chevrolet Silverado.

“The purpose of this, just for clarification, is we have the availability to use ARPA funding for it,” Select Board member Adam Murphy said.

The funding figure includes a $16,000 cost per car to outfit the vehicle with necessary police equipment, according to Assad.

“We’re not using taxpayer dollars,” Morse said.