Staten Island has long been the only one of New York City's five boroughs without a specialized FDNY squad company, but money has been set aside in the Big Apple's 2019 budget to change that.
The Staten Island Advance reports that Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Corey Johnson have agreed to set aside $3.1 million in the city's fiscal 2019 budget to provide the borough with a squad company that includes members trained at expert levels to respond to hazmat incidents and special rescue operations.
FDNY squad companies—of which there are currently seven operating in the city—serve as engine companies, truck companies and rescue companies for structure fires all rolled into one.
- Trics Of The Trade: The Rescue/Pumper and the FDNY Squad Concept - Part 1
The $3.1 million will fund the technical training for a five-member specialized company and about 30 new squad members, a new pumper-rescue apparatus, and the auxiliary equipment needed to upgrade an existing engine company into a specialized squad company.
"We have come a long way since the last administration, which seemed so intent on closing firehouses on Staten Island. This is the oldest and most basic city service and now with this addition our borough is on par with the other four," said Staten Island Councilman Joe Borelli, the chair of the City Council's Fire and Emergency Services Committee and a leading proponent of the effort.
- Trics Of The Trade: The Rescue/Pumper and the FDNY Squad Concept - Part 2
Borelli says the funding will remain in the city's budget for the next six years.
Because Staten Island had no squad company, the borough typically relied on FDNY Squad 1 in Brooklyn to respond to certain emergencies, but the city's notorious traffic on its roadways and bridges often led to Squad 1 being late to a scene.
- Trics Of The Trade: The Rescue/Pumper and the FDNY Squad Concept - Part 3
"Once up and running, the Squad will respond to hundreds of serious emergencies each year with additional skills to enhance and improve the excellent work of all our firefighting units in protecting people and property on Staten Island," New York City Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said in a statement.
