by Sergey Kadinsky, Chronicle Contributor
Council members decried proposals to ax numerous FDNY companies during a hearing at City Hall on Wednesday.
"The burning truth is that fires do not care about the budget," said Fire and Criminal Justice Committee Chairwoman Elizabeth Crowley, (D-Middle Village). "Fire companies are strategically placed to respond in three to four minutes in an emergency."
Plans to shutter 20 fire companies would save the city $7.4 million. Through attrition, the FDNY also seeks to eliminate the fifth firefighter in 60 companies. FDNY Commissioner Salvatore Cassano cited stronger performance to justify the reductions.
"We have established a department that is better equipped and better prepared than ever before," Cassano said. "In 2009, we had the fewest number of fires ever."
While cost-cutting elements such as fire alarm boxes appear to be easy targets, the agency's hands are tied. Following a lawsuit in the 1990s, the FDNY was prohibited from eliminating additional fire alarm boxes without going through court for each one.
"Eighty-five percent of calls on them are false alarms, and less than half of one percent of structural fire calls come from fire alarm boxes," Cassano said. Reducing the number of fire alarm boxes could save the city $6 million in the coming fiscal year.
Under the proposed state budget, the number of layoffs would rise to 1,500, with up to 42 fire companies eliminated. Awaiting the results of negotiations in Albany, Cassano would not elaborate on the possibility of expanded cuts.
"We agonize over these cuts, because we have to make sure it is the right company for these cuts," he said.
Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) said that his district is not affected yet, "but if the doomsday budget goes to the state, every district is affected."
Halloran's two brothers, Terence and Patrick, both work in the FDNY as a firefighter and lieutenant, respectively.
"Even if fire response times rise by five seconds, it could be life and death. Without the proper support, they can't get the job done right," Halloran said.
Last year, 16 firehouses were threatened with closure, but were given a one-year reprieve thanks to council members' discretionary budgets. At the hearing, council members grilled Cassano for not providing the locations of this year's threatened fire companies.
Cassano refused to say which firehouses would close, promising to evaluate each location based on its response time, personnel, proximity to other units and other geographic factors.
Nevertheless, under the current City Charter, affected communities would only have a 45-day notice of a firehouse's closing day.
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