Queens residents are firing back at the city for threatening to close 20 firehouse across the city beginning July 1.
At two recent rallies – one outside of Hook and Ladder 116 in Long Island City and one that included a march from Engine 293 in Woodhaven to Engine 294 in Richmond Hill – residents and local elected officials joined firefighters to protest the closings proposed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in his fiscal year (FY) 2011 executive budget.
“I don’t know about the mayor, but I certainly don’t feel secure with 20 fire companies closing in this city,” said City Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley, who chairs the Fire Committee in the Council.
In the mayor’s executive budget, the administration is proposing to eliminate four additional engine companies to go along with the 16 companies that were saved from closing last year. In total, the city would save roughly $37 million from closing the 20 companies in the upcoming fiscal year and even greater savings in further years. One hundred uniform positions would also be eliminated as a result of these closings.
Standing in front of Hook and Ladder 116 in Long Island City on Friday, May 7, City Comptroller John Liu said that closing a fire company to save less than $2 million is not a good idea.
“This is penny wise and pound foolish,” Liu said. “What we need to do is save this firehouse along with all the other firehouses.”
Simcha Waisman is prepared to fight – again.
As president of the One Stop Richmond Hill Community Center, he helped lead the charge when Engine 294 was closed in 1991 under then-mayor David Dinkins.
“Ricmond Hill has old wooden homes,” said Waisman. “If they close [Engine 294], it’s a disaster waiting to happen.”
Currently, the city has not released any information about what engine companies are on the chopping block. According to the city charter, the administration must notify the local city councilmember who represents the district where a fire engine company is closing, 45 days prior to the announcement. That information would have to come by May 17 if the engine companies are slated to close on July 1.
In addition to closing the engine companies, the mayor’s budget proposes to eliminate the fifth firefighter post on 60 engine companies further reducing the number of firefighters by 300.
Assemblymember Michael Gianaris guaranteed that these cuts would not stand, and he accused the administration of “trying to scare the crap and the living daylights out of new Yorkers.”
After the recent bomb scare in Times Square, the mayor found additional funding to save 900 police officer jobs, and advocates want him to do the same for the fire department.
“They are equally important first responders, and we have to ensure that they are not cut because that has to be our number one priority,” said City Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr., who chairs the Council’s Public Safety Committee.
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