Queens Gazette: Dromm Demands End to Firehouse Closings

From Queens Gazette: By John Toscano

Two Jackson Heights lawmakers, joined by area Fire Department officials, cited a devastating fire in their area to emphasize demands that no firehouses be shut down because of anticipated budget cuts.

The massive fire destroyed a commercial strip on 37th Avenue between 84th and 85th Streets.

City Councilmember Daniel Dromm (D–Jackson Heights) declared:

“We cannot afford to lose any firehouses anywhere in the city. If one firehouse closes, firehouses in other communities will be called upon to cover those other communities. That will leave everyone short of firehouse coverage if an emergency occurs.”

Joining Dromm, Assemblymember Jose Peralta (D–Corona/Jackson Heights) stated he would work closely with Dromm “to ensure that the businesses affected by this devastating fire receive the resources and assistance they need to recover and rebuild”.

Then turning to the firehouse closing issue, Peralta said, “This weekend’s fire further reinforces the critical need to keep all firehouses open. We cannot afford to have less fire protection in our neighborhoods: Our lives and our businesses depend upon it.”

Dromm, a former school teacher said something must be done to correct “the false impression that response times [in fires] are down.”

The freshman lawmaker noted: “Response times are now calculated in a different way. These changes are troublesome.” He explained,

“Response times are now calculated not to include the time a caller spends making the emergency call to 911. This creates the false impression that response times are down. Also, response times only consider when the fire engine arrives on the scene. It does not take into account the amount of time it takes to stretch hose lines, get water on the fire or administer EMS. Providing services could take another 10 minutes or more.”

Dromm also praised the firefighters for doing “an excellent job here in Jackson Heights over the weekend”.