Fire Protection

It's not only a matter of the local firehouse in your neighborhood being closed. If the firehouse 30 blocks away is closed and the engine company near you is at another emergency then you have a fire or heart attack you may be on your own for a long long time.

The economy has put more small businesses out of business then ever before. The number of vacant properties is alarming. My question is what happens if we go back to the 70's and early 80's with vacant building fires? With the proposed closings of firehouses who will be there to protect the public?

NYC is more populated now than it has ever been. No more vacants or empty lots are seen across city neighborhoods. In fact, even Mayor Bloomberg challenged the results of the last census, claiming the New York City population figures should have been 700,000 higher. A city at maximum density population brings with it more cars, more delivery trucks, more people to clog our already overloaded infrastructure. To now cut back on essential fire services would jeopardize the lives of our neighbors. It'll take much longer for fire companies to get to fires and emergencies- AND LIVES WILL BE LOST!

Instead of closing fire companies, the Mayor should be planning to adequately protect it's citizens by opening more firehouses.

These are difficult economic times. But is the current mayor using this crisis to create a leaner cheaper Fire Department? His budget calls for the closing of 16 fire companies in the next year. Why? This is playing roulette with every citizen's life. The savings is minimal and will cost this great city more in life and property. During the last great fiscal crises in NYC during the 70's, the city burned and crime ran rampant. Consider the rise in insurance costs alone by trimming the Fire Department. There seems to be plenty of money for projects like the West side yards, the Nets in Brooklyn, the Yankees and the Mets. Hell ,I can no longer afford to go to the games but the tax base has to subsidize these projects. Just today, the mayor found 45 million dollars to reeducate wall streeters who have lost jobs. You are talking about educating people with masters degrees in business administration. Who are we kidding. No money for school children and safety. The current mayor scared the city council into reversing term limits. His money and power will continue to force your elected representatives to make dangerous choices. Now is not the time to cut the Fire Department. They will be there when you call to protect your life and your property. A safe city is a great start to a sound city.

In my opinion, the FDNY is the one agency that shows up 100% of the time in a timely fashion. If the Mayor closes more fire companies, he will have a dramatic effect on the timely response of the FDNY. Keep in mind, the FDNY does not only respond to fires anymore, they respond to medical emergencies. If the fire engine near your residence is shuttered, the response to your medical emergency may be delayed. NYC is becoming more crowded and if fire trucks have to travel farther distances because of closings of other fire companies, the additional distance and traffic may be the difference between life and death.