10 Queens Engine Companies Could Have Their Crews Cut

The potential reduction in the number of crew members on fire engines affects 10 out of 50 firehouses in Queens, according to Thomas De Parma, the Queens trustee for the Manhattan-based uniform Firefighters Association (UFA).
While State Supreme Court Justice James G. Starkey of Brooklyn denied UFAs request for a preliminary injunction against the citys planned reduction in engine crews from five to four members per tour of duty, Mayor Michael Bloomberg met with UFA President Stephen Cassidy to provide the UFA with an additional 30 days before he reduces crew size.
UFA General Counsel Michael Block, of the Manhattan-based law firm of Sullivan Papain Block Mc Grath and Cannavo, said Justice Starkey ruled against the UFA because he felt the proposed reduction was a collective bargaining issue and not one for the courts to decide. Justice Starkey could not be reached for comment.
Mr.Block pointed out that the agreement between Mayor Bloomberg and Mr. Cassidy is a "verbal agreement."
The current contract the UFA has with the city states that 60 engine companies with five-man tour crews can be reduced to 11 firehouses if medical leave over a 12-month period averages 7.5% or more, Mr.Block explained.
"The union believes it is not appropriate to invoke the clause when the level of medical leave has largely been due to World Trade Center-related illnesses, particularly when those illnesses were caused by the failure of the New York Fire Department to supply respiratory protection to firefighters firefighters who worked at the World Trade Center site during rescue and recovery operations," Mr. Block explained.
The 30-day delay will allow the UFA to illustrate that medical leave levels are going down and firefighters are not abusing their medical leave rights, Mr.Block added.
UFAs Labor Counsel is preparing to appeal Justice Starkeys decision if it becomes necessary to do so, Mr. Block continued. Then, he added, the mayor will revisit the situation at the end of the 30-day period, ending February 1, 2003.
If the city wins and fire engine crew tours are reduced from five members to four members, then, Mr. DeParma said, the following 10 firehouses in Queens will be affected:
Engine Co. 260 in Long Island City, Engine Co. 262 in Astoria, Engine Co. 275 in South Jamaica; Engine Co. 289 in Corona, Engine Co. 298 in Jamaica, Engine Co. 301 in Hollis, Engine Co. 303 in South Jamaica, Engine Co. 307 in Jackson Heights, Engine Co. 308 in Richmond Hill, Engine Co. 324 in Corona.
Mr DeParma said all of these firehouses have five-men engine crew tours and that reduction in the number of members on an engine company crew tour to four would "cause delays in putting out fires, jeopardizing lives and property."
DeParma pointed out that the UFA won the right to five-man crew tours in 1996 for these 10 firehouses and UFA is still fighting to have five-men crew tours at the other 40 firehouses in Queens.