Now , this is just MY opinion...but what a bunch of crap!!
Read this statement issued this week and give your feedback. I mean , I know we're in difficult times...but closing down houses...I've NEVER agreed with that.
Maybe I'm out of line.
What's your take?
-Troy
********************
M E M O R A N D U M
TO: Distribution List
FROM: Nicholas Scoppetta, Commissioner
Salvatore Cassano, Chief of Department
SUBJECT FY 2010 Preliminary Budget
DATE: January 30, 2009
Today the Mayor unveiled his preliminary budget for FY2010 designed to deal with the fall out from the fiscal crisis that now grips the country in a recession.

The news for the Fire Department is not good:
• 4 fire company night closings will become full time closings effective 7-1-09.

• 7 additional fire companies will be disbanded effective 7-1-09.

• 5 additional fire companies will be disbanded effective 1-1-10.

• 30 BLS ambulance tours and 9 supervisory lines in conditions cars will be eliminated effective 7-1-09.

• 27 Fire Marshal lines and 5 Supervising Fire Marshal lines will be eliminated based on attrition.

• 32 EMS administrative lines in units through out the Department will be eliminated, which will require those members on full duty in the designated units to return to ambulance duty and those members with Reasonable Accommodations to seek other accommodations if available, otherwise they will need to retire.

• All civilian vacancies that have not been approved by OMB have now been eliminated.

• There is a complete freeze on all new civilian attrition that occurs until June 30, 2010. This does not include Fire Prevention, Dispatchers, Grant funded positions, Deutsche Bank Task Force positions or ECTP related lines. The Bureau of Personnel Resources will be issuing new civilian guidelines to address critical vacancies.

• Security Services for Randall’s Island, Fort Totten and Maspeth will be discontinued by March 1, 2009.

Clearly, we are being required to make significant reductions in our operation. Despite these obstacles we all still have operations to manage and we must continue to do so to the best of our abilities. I realize it will not be easy, but this Department has always managed to provide superior services despite the challenges.

Now more than ever I am counting on each of you to provide leadership to effectively and efficiently manage to ensure that we continue service as best we can.

Thank you for you support during these most difficult of times

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they must not be worried about their house catching fire or havin an accident.
that is crazy that they are doing that... look how busy them departments are.... i think if they do this they are going to run into alot more probs then they can even imagine right now...
What a bunch of crap! What is the Mayor's office thinking?
http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/pdf/stats/fire_cwsum_cy08.pdf

This is the medical breakdown for FDNY

http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/pdf/stats/ems_cwsum_cy08.pdf


Read this. It will open your eyes up to the true volume that FDNY runs. How can they provide adequate protection to the people? I know money talks and all but how is it that the fire service is always the one to take a crippling blow?
Situations like these are horrible! Really if you think about it with common sense it's criminal also (but then when do elected officials use common sense?? Not to often!). When cities and states run short of money the first place they look to make cuts is usually with Fire Departments, Police Departments and the Military.....yet it's the folks in these very jobs who protect and serve everyone else....they are the one's willing to lay their lives on the line to help people they don't know! Yet I can bet that these same politicans are keeping some of their pork barrel projects from getting cuts. It's a sad situation and until people stand up and say "NO" and "if you do you will not be kept in office because your really not looking out for the good of the people" these politicans will continue to do exactly what they want....that is until their house burns down, or a family member has an emergency medical situation, or their house is broke into or they are mugged and a fire figher, EMT/Paramedic, or a police officer can't make it in time to help them because there just aren't enough of them to go around.....only then will these crazy, idiotic situations stop.
Just their response times alone will cause major issues. Their 5 minute average "EMS" time will go to about 8 minute or so. Their average fire response time of 4 minutes could spike to 6 or more. This will directly affect the number of 2nd alarm to "all hands fires" that FNDY already has a large volume of.

Also expecting more with less personnel involved will more than likely cause some serious firefighter injuries or worse.
This is crazy. Hopefully, the people of NY will stand up and say something to their politicians. But this is not the first city that I've heard doing stupid things like this. Alanta and Philadelphia are two other cities that have closed houses or changed fire districts to try and save money. Only time will tell, but I doubt that the politicians will ever see the big picture.
I just don't understand how you can close firehouses and get rid of ambulance services. What about the people in the city that need these services. What if there is a fire and people trapped and the nearest fire department is on the other side of the city, what happens then? Maybe the officials that are making these decisions need to not receive their bonuses and then maybe they should pay for their own gas. The mayor needs to do this as well. I love how all the top management people are willing to get rid of the workers but keep everything that they have. I don't understand where putting peoples lives at a greater risk is going to help the economy. I very much could be way off base but I don't think so. My opinion only.
Ya know , it almost seems crimnal , to me , that this is allowed to happen. Time and again budget cuts always seem to lead to the closing of houses. THAT's when you start seeing the injury rate , and god forbid , the death rates of our guys doubling. The politicians always seem to have this curtain to hide behind. The "we can make whatever cuts we want to" idealism has GOT to stop. And yes , the FDNY has such an incredible call volume , I don't see how a mayor who is "so behind his city" can conciously make this happen. I'm keeping all my brothers in my prayers out there. This could be a real bad time coming.
Thanks to everyone for their comments on this rediculous idea.
Stay safe out there-

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