Brooklyn Borough President

BROOKLYN FIGHTS BACK AND SAYS DON'T CLOSE OUR FIREHOUSES!

Brooklynites from across the borough stage major rally for the cause at Borough Hall

On April 27th, several hundred Brooklynites from all walks of life, organized by a range of community groups, joined with several elected officials at Borough Hall to protest Mayor Bloomberg’s decision to close five Brooklyn firehouses – eight citywide.

Borough President Marty Markowitz, Senator Seymour Lachman, Assemblymember Joan Millman, Councilmember Charles Barron, Councilmember Bill de Blasio, Councilmember Yvette Clarke, Councilmember James Davis, Councilmember Sara Gonzalez, Councilmember David Yassky and actor Steve Buscemi rallied with moms and dads, seniors and students and several community organizations to protest this dangerous decision.

“Closing firehouses may save a few dollars, but it could also cost lives. Especially in this day and age, we can never sacrifice safety for savings,” Borough President Markowitz said. “Nobody can predict when we will need to call on our firefighters, but we can predict the potentially lethal consequences of closing these firehouses.”

“Firehouses save lives. Seconds save lives. Extending response times by a minute or more is unconscionable,” said Councilmember de Blasio. “Today, Brooklyn says: We will not stand for closing any of our firehouses.”

"In a Post 9/11 world, we should be looking to expand the resources of the FDNY not downsize them. New York City is not capable of handling two simultaneous disasters. We cannot afford to close firehouses – the city will be loosing valuable resources,” Councilmember Clarke said.

"Firehouses are both the lifeblood and lifesavers of our communities,” Councilmember Gonzalez said. “I sleep at peace at night knowing that I live right around the corner from Engine Company 278 in Sunset Park."

“These firehouses are their community’s first line of defense against disaster,” Councilmember Yassky said. “If they leave, help will be farther away and danger will be closer. If they leave, no one will be standing a post in those communities.”

Squad 252 in Bushwick, Engine Company 204 in Cobble Hill, Engine Company 278 in Sunset Park, Engine Company 212 in Williamsburg, and Engine Company 209 in Bedford-Stuyvesant have all been targeted for closure in Brooklyn.

Instead of closing firehouses, the Borough President and the Brooklyn City Council delegation support a number of ways the Fire Department can raise and save money including corporate sponsorship of firehouses, more efficient billing and collection of EMS ambulance services and hiring additional firefighters to achieve better coverage and reduce overtime. All of these options are safe and sensible ways to avoid shutting any firehouses.