New York's Bravest responded to fires last year with record speed, while the city also saw a 10 percent drop in fire fatalities, Mayor Bloomberg announced yesterday.
Bloomberg and Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta revealed data showing firefighters last year reached blazes in an average of 4 minutes and 12 seconds, a 15-second improvement over 2007.
Civilian deaths from fires dropped to 86 last year, from 95 in 2007.
Scoppetta attributed faster response times to dispatch system changes put in place last year.
Under the new system, dispatchers send firefighters to emergencies as soon as they get the location and a brief description of the incidents. Previously, they waited for more detail before dispatching firefighters.
"It's a splendid change," Scoppetta said.
Last year marked the third consecutive year civilian fire deaths were below 100.
Bloomberg acknowledged that the city is preparing to reduce nighttime fire service in certain areas and that layoffs are possible in every agency.
But he vowed not to "make that same mistake" of cutting services like the city did in the 1970s.
republished with permission of The New York Post.
