Eight firehouses are ready to lock their doors this week. But firefighters and the New Yorkers who support them hope a concert and rally today will keep that from happening.
This has been a long fight. It really comes down to this week, because these firehouses are scheduled to close this Friday. So thousands of New York City firefighters and their supporters will hold a rally to save the firehouses today and help to gain the attention of city hall.
There were petitions and prayers of protest over the weekend, all aimed at overturning mayor Bloomberg's order to close eight city firehouses.
At Engine Company 36 in Harlem, firefighters, business owners, people from the neighborhood all gathered, prayed and worried together.
In spite of that vigil and months of protests across the city, the Bloomberg administration still plans to lock the doors at that Harlem firehouse with five more in Brooklyn and two in Queens.
And it is all set to happen this coming Friday. City council members have raised questions about public safety and some council-members have joined a lawsuit challenging the closings.
That lawsuit filed by some councilmembers will be heard tomorrow in Brooklyn. Today, the rally kicks off at noon. The headliner for the concert is Sammy Hagar.
