FDNY blasted for blackout response

President of the Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA) Steve Cassidy blasted the Fire Department's response during the western Queens 10-day blackout calling the lack of additional resources &#8220outrageous” and pointing out that it was &#8220sheer luck that no one was killed or injured.”
A spokesperson for the Fire Department, Farrell Sklerov, confirmed that the department did not provide any additional units to the affected area, but said that the firefighters in the area were enough to handle the significantly increased call volumes.
&#8220Our response times were up a few seconds, but we were able to respond to all events,” Sklerov said.
However, as the City Council continues to investigate the city's response to the blackout, Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr., said that he was not satisfied with the FDNY's response.
&#8220At some point we will be calling in Commissioner [Nicholas] Scoppetta and have him answer these very important questions,” Vallone said. &#8220When Con Ed fails again, the FDNY needs to be much better prepared and increase its response.”
During the first week of the blackout, the department responded to 90 structural and 419 non-structural calls, and 89 and 109 respectively, during the second week, according to FDNY statistics.
&#8220The workload was increased so dramatically there were individual companies doing over 50 runs for a tour, which is so far above unprecedented,” Cassidy said. &#8220A really busy night would be 15 or 20.”
Cassidy said that he called the FDNY every day since day two of the blackout asking them to supply additional resources and firefighters to the area, but he never got a response.
&#8220They do it all the time when they view they have a major problem or it is more likely to be an increased workload,” Cassidy said, claiming that in the citywide blackout of 2004, an additional 1,200 firefighters were immediately called into duty.
&#8220There is a reserve that the FDNY has that was not activated,” Vallone said. &#8220It's common sense that if a major crisis was occurring and much of [the load] is falling on the backs of the firefighters that additional resources would be needed.”
Farrell said that the majority of the non-structural calls involved manhole or transmitter fires, and that the department responded to all calls with their regular units without any serious injuries or loss of life.
However, Cassidy does not see it that way.
&#8220The Fire Department did not put on one single additional person, and the people of Queens should be outraged.”