FDNY Firefighters Rally at City Hall to Stop Firehouse Closings
Source Courtesy of ABC7
The battle over closing city firehouses was being waged on the streets in front of City Hall Wednesday. Firefighters were out in force to to try and stop the city from closing down several firehouses as part of a cost cutting move.
An estimated 500 firefighters lined a city block leading up to City Hall Wednesday afternoon. Many of them admit that the rally won't stop the city's plan to close firehouses, but they say they want the public to know how dangerous such a move could be.
The rally was timely. As firefighters protested the cutbacks, city agencies were making their proposals on what cuts they planned to make.
Kevin Walsh, FDNY: "It's my job and it's my life that's on the line. If there's less men doing the job, that means my life is in danger."
To Mayor Michael Bloomberg it's just a question of math. We've heard it before: The city needs to close a $3.4 billion budget gap, and every agency must make cuts. Most city agencies face cuts of 9.5 percent, but FDNY has to cut 2.5 percent. Still, such a cut would mean firehouses, like Engine 36 in East Harlem, will have to close.
John Hear, FDNY: "We're here for the community. We're not here for us. And every community deserves their fire protection."
There are eight FDNY firehouses on the chopping block. Five of them are located in Brooklyn, two in Queens and one in Manhattan. Calvin Hunt lives in the Manhattan neighborhood that could lose it's firehouse. He is on a crusade to keep that from happening.
Calvin Hunt, Neighborhood Advocate: "Buildings are going up at a record pace in Harlem. It's growing, growing, growing. How could you cut an engine company now? It's ridiculous. And it will not close. The people, these people here, will stand here and this will be the new 'people's firehouse' if it has to be like that. They will not close Engine 36... Over my dead body."
In addition to the firefighters, some city council members turned out for Wednesday afternoon's rally. They say this is an issue of safety, not of money. The mayor's final report on cuts is expected next month.
