NEWBURGH, N.Y. -- Money in the state budget is allocated to go toward the Newburgh Fire Department, but that money isn't going toward saving 12 jobs currently in jeopardy.

Officials say the recent explosion at Verla International in the Town of New Windsor exposed the dire need for an upgraded communications system.

"We had one guy that was trapped nine minutes," said Newburgh Fire Department Acting Chief Terry Ahlers. "Nobody knew where he was or that he was still missing."

The city's radio communications system didn't transmit calls for mayday, placing several firefighters at risk. After Verla, Ahlers requested an upgrade to help insure reliable communications outside of the city limits.

"The idea that that something is available out there and we just can't afford it, it keeps me awake," said Ahlers, who had eight firefighters injured in the explosion. "This is one less thing to keep me awake. It's gonna keep my guys safe."

Senator Larkin visited Newburgh on Tuesday for the announcement that he secured $250,000 in budget funds for the department.

"You don’t know when you leave your house in the morning if you’re going to be back or not. And if you don’t have the equipment in order for you to carry out your job, that’s a sad state of affairs,” Larkin said.

While officials say this funding is helpful, it won't save the jobs of a possible 12 firefighters who could be laid off this summer, and Newburgh City Manager Michael Ciaravino says that a long-term solution is needed. 

"Rather than having this crisis, resolution, crisis, resolution cycle that's endless," said Ciaravino, "it's time to talk about a way to financially sustain the region for firefighter services."

The city's Common Council may vote to allocate surplus tax money from Orange County to temporarily save the firefighters through December, but officials are looking for more sustainable solutions.

"My deep concern is that these highly trained, dedicated professionals are looking for other work," said Ciaravino. "So we need to be able to talk about something other than the short-term in order to retain these firefighters that we've invested in and we deeply value."