Posted: Thu, 03/11/2010 - 14:30 Updated: Thu, 03/11/2010 - 17:27
New York City Fire Department officials say they are going forward with their budgets cuts, even as City Council members vowed to fight the closing of fire companies.
During testimony at a City Council hearing Wednesday, Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano said 20 fire companies are facing closure as a result of the mayor's 2011 budget plan.
The state's additional upcoming budget cuts to city aid could force a total of 62 fire companies onto the chopping block.
The initial cuts are slated to take effect on July 1, following negotiations with the City Council.
"I don't think anybody in the city wants to close a fire company, but you know when you are making difficult choices," said Cassano, seen right. "It's not only New York that's making these cuts, there's fire companies throughout the country that are reducing their staffing."
Meanwhile, City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, local lawmakers and firefighter union leaders gathered on the steps of City Hall Wednesday morning to call on officials to reconsider the cuts.
Uniformed Firefighters Association President Steve Cassidy said the mayor and fire officials are leaving firemen with a huge burden.
"The taxpayers of New York deserve to have their firehouse stay open," said Cassidy. "And when someone dials 9-1-1, when they have an emergency, medical or fire, they should hope that a New York City fire company doesn't have to drive past a closed fire company to get to them, because seconds count."
"I don't understand the reasoning why the fire department is part of a budget dance. I don't understand it, and I'm very much outraged at this," said City Councilman James Vacca. "Do you mean every year, the fire department budget is going to be cut, and the city council has to restore, year by year?"
Meanwhile, the iconic fire alarm boxes on city streets may soon be a thing of the past. Cassano said FDNY officials plan to deactivate the boxes as a cost-cutting measure to save at least $6 million a year. Republished with permission of NY1.
WOW, 62 COMPANIES.ARE THESE GOING TO BE FRONT LINE UNITS OR THE SPECIAL UNITS(IE:SATELITTE, JFK HOSE TRUCK, STUFF LIKE THAT) WHO WILL BE LEFT TO FIGHT FIRES??
190 plus engines, 140 plus truck and special unts. Closer to 350 companies
In addition to Battalions and Divisions who have experienced closures in the past. Don't think they will be exempt.
I am not a city firefighter and do not advocate closing anything or laying anyone off. This economic crisis is putting a strain on everyone. If the bottom line is the commissioner (who everyone seemed to praise on here a few months ago) is given a certain amount of money to run the department and that amount of money is less than what it would take to operate status quo, then he has to make some tough decisions. One option is to close houses and keep staffing levels of the other companies. Another option is to keep houses open but take guys off each rig and spread them out. A third would be pay freezes and hiring freezes and the fourth would be outright layoffs. Hopefully the decisions made are the right ones for the city and the firefighters. Different story, but if you have seen any of the stories about the teachers unions, you noticed how their leaders have sold out all of the younger teachers to keep their own status. Rather than accepting a pay freeze in many districts, or a pay increase less than 4 percent a year, the unions are ready to allow layoffs as long as the tenured teachers keep their salaries increasing.
Well you know that the FDNY union did not back Bloomberg. I actually do like Bloomy and do support him. Except! It is pretty crappy of him to hire 5 aides for himself all making 6 figures in light of these cuts. It is shameful he makes sacrifices on the lives of the public by making major cuts to civil service. People die in this business. I lost count how many deaths in NYC thus far this year. No one's going to die when 1 less teacher shows up for work Monday. Bloomy should cut out the non essential personel to save money. The firehouse raids and drug tests that for the most part is a huge waste of time and money. 95-98% of raids and drug tests are found to be satisfactory. The small 2-5% in some cases that are found are in many instances false possitives or explainable prescriptions. Cops, Fire & EMS should be the absolute last resort to cuts.
Isn't it ironic that they are going to recruit and recruit and recruit minorities (and others) to take a test for a job that they have no intention of hiring anyone for?
My guess is that ten companies will be closed in July, including the four "night closure engine companies" and six others. I know for a fact that the job has done all the numbers (runs/workers/ems/response times) and has a list of 40 companies in chopping block order.
#1- Dont believe everything you read from NY-1.... if you were to shut 62 companies, the FDNY would be desimmated. However, "cutting staffing" on 62 companies doesnt mean they are being closed....
#2- Though I'm not a lawyer, I believe the City is required to provide 60 days notice to the local Community Board that they are "closing" a company- Now mind you, if there's an Engine & a Truck in the Firehouse and they kill an Engine, the Truck is still there, the firehouse is still open. 99.9% of people dont know what we do, and that there is a LARGE difference between Engines & Ladders. They just see a firehouse with trucks in it.
#3- In another "brilliant, cost-saving" move, they wanna eliminate the fire alarm boxes. What they're not telling you is that they're not "eliminating" the boxes themselves, just the people associated with them. So basically you'll still have the box on the corner but the signal will go nowhere.
Apparently the $6 million a year they think they will save is worth people's lives, and/or they figure the lawsuits they'll receive will settle for less than that amount.
Luckily, the feds are involved and there is a little thing called the "Americans With Disabilities Act"--- if you're deaf, hearing impared, or mute, are you gonna use a cell phone to call 911? Try sending a text message to 911 in New York City- see where it ends up.
As Yogi said, "It aint over til its over"
What I wanna know is the Parks Dept or any other non-public safety agency getting hit with cuts too?
"You can enjoy you're beautiful park while watching your house burn down"
Don't like to see any cuts in the protection agencies be it Fire, EMS or Police. With that said, we all know that in every city, county, town and state agency including our school districts there's always room to make some reductions. Personally, I think they should start with the sacred cow (the school districts) There's more fat and waste on them then there is on your christmas turkey! But the politicians just won't take aim at "johnny's education"! Pack it in guys, there's no escape from this nightmare called New York, unless you decide to move. Something that's looking real good now. Stay Safe
How many teachers are in the rubber room. They haven't taught in ?? years yet they get paid every other week doing nothing. And summers, weekends, holidays off, and home by 4:30pm. Hundreds of savings starting with these useless people. MFD - that was good, "you can sit in the beautiful park and watch your house burn down."
Parks department will stay open because the city is filled with liberals.
How about medicaid the biggest scam going......how many people have 4 sepereate medicaid cards with different names.
Public housing, why does the city pay for people who dont even pay the fraction of what a normal apartment in the city of new york costs. The city should sell off its projects to developers, look at Coney Island and Rockaway, prime beach front property filled with shit.
Your right. Way to many scammer out there. The City, State, County or who ever should create jobs to investigate those who need assistance. It would be cheaper to check on them often than just giving it away. Although I am not sure that its not currently being done. Have those people check in bi weekly too get there assistance. Can't be in 2,3 or 4 places at once. You no there, than you no get!
Parks department will stay open because the city is filled with liberals.
How about medicaid the biggest scam going......how many people have 4 sepereate medicaid cards with different names.
Public housing, why does the city pay for people who dont even pay the fraction of what a normal apartment in the city of new york costs. The city should sell off its projects to developers, look at Coney Island and Rockaway, prime beach front property filled with shit.
Careful what you wish for! If the city got rid of the PJ's, call volume in various response areas would be dramatically reduced therefore less need for a company or two! No worries cuz that'll never happen. Heres an idea, every women is allowed to birth 1 child only if no source of income. If said women does not get a job or husband with job by juniors 3rd birthday, said women loses public assistance and can no longer birth children in the state of new york. This in turn will save the city and state untold millions. jmo ps that'll never happen either!! stay safe Brothers!!
Isnt this the nassau fd rant. I dont think they would give two craps on the FDNY rant if this was happening in Nassau, they would probably be happy. With that being said as a union member I DONT want one person to lose their job and main means of support for their family. But there are alot of firehouse on top of each other in some boro's and if they are going to close afew houses and fully staff the remaining(5th man) it could mean more guys will be catching work and gaining experience, which isnt a bad thing. As long as no one loses their job.
Isnt this the nassau fd rant. I dont think they would give two craps on the FDNY rant if this was happening in Nassau, they would probably be happy. With that being said as a union member I DONT want one person to lose their job and main means of support for their family. But there are alot of firehouse on top of each other in some boro's and if they are going to close afew houses and fully staff the remaining(5th man) it could mean more guys will be catching work and gaining experience, which isnt a bad thing. As long as no one loses their job.
I'll phrase my response as rationally as possible (he he)...
As a "union" man, why would you want to see any "union" shop close?
As far as firehouses "on top of each other"- With the amount of CFR runs, Water Leaks, Stuck elevators, and all the other "stuff", an entire battalion can easily be unavailble for fire duty even on a beautiful sunny day such as this...
...Now, your 1st due to a phone alarm with people trapped is coming through traffic from 3 miles away, while the "original" 1st due is pumping on someone's chest or knee deep in a sewage backup in a basement.
And guess what, if there is a fire, ya gotta fill companies to provide adequate fire protetction to a neighboorhood.
The "gaining of experience" doesnt come from closing firehouses.
This is a friendly discussion thread. Many guys are just interested or who are or were FDNY. That was a pretty stupid post melted. FDNY is doing much more running than ever before. True, fires are a lot fewer and further but runs are up well over 425,000 a year. Having over 25 runs a 24 in a busy house is not uncommon. The night of the storm even the slow companies didn't catch a break. It isn't just about losing jobs, it's more about losing lives.
I'll phrase my response as rationally as possible (he he)...
As a "union" man, why would you want to see any "union" shop close?
As far as firehouses "on top of each other"- With the amount of CFR runs, Water Leaks, Stuck elevators, and all the other "stuff", an entire battalion can easily be unavailble for fire duty even on a beautiful sunny day such as this...
...Now, your 1st due to a phone alarm with people trapped is coming through traffic from 3 miles away, while the "original" 1st due is pumping on someone's chest or knee deep in a sewage backup in a basement.
And guess what, if there is a fire, ya gotta fill companies to provide adequate fire protetction to a neighboorhood.
The "gaining of experience" doesnt come from closing firehouses.
1.As a union man I'm worried about jobs, people not losing theirs and thats what they seem to be avoiding.
2. The city is pretty big, they relocate for fires I'm sure with the new system you would be able to do this for any type of alarm.
3. Yes they may be coming from alittle further away but the firehouse is staffed, now with a 5 man crew and with fewer firehouses the work will be spread out alittle more.
To be clear I dont want any firehouse closures, but more importantly I dont want to see anyone laid off. But as I said originally this is a nassau rant so why waste time on this.
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