Peekskill FD Explores New Firehouse

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Peekskill Fire Department looks at consolidating companies

By MARCELA ROJAS

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: February 25, 2007)

PEEKSKILL - The city's Fire Department has been grappling with deteriorating firehouses for years and is now pushing to consolidate three - and perhaps four - of its six companies around town.

The two buildings that house Columbian Engine, Washington Engine and Peekskill Fire Patrol are suffering from substandard conditions, including water leaks, roof damage and antiquated staff quarters, said Fire Chief John Pappas. But rather than rehabilitating the dilapidated structures, the department wants to bring them under one new roof.

"We'd like to build a central station that would accommodate our needs," Pappas said. "The buildings are just not energy efficient. Columbian (Engine) and Washington have 25-foot ceilings. We're heating dead space. These buildings have served out their use."

The structures were built in the early- to mid-1900s, Pappas said.

The Fire Department is eyeing a park-like parcel off Academy and Broad streets, adjacent to where Columbian and Washington engines are already located. That building would likely be demolished, officials said. Peekskill Fire Patrol is quartered off Highland Avenue and, while it was an engine company, it will become exclusively a rescue company starting this weekend.

The engine there now would move to the new headquarters.

The size of the proposed building has not been determined, but ideally it would have at least six bays for firefighting rigs, along with training, office and storage space, the chief said.

Mayor John Testa said he is on board with the merger and expects to have a meeting with fire officials and the Common Council early next month.

"This would be more economically suitable for the city, and more efficient to have half the city services out of one location," Testa said.

Centennial Hose Company on Washington Street, on the south end of Peekskill, would stay where it is, Pappas said, and there are no plans to move Columbian Hose Company, in northeast Peekskill behind the Beach Shopping Center. The fire company owns that building and the city pays it rent to store its apparatus, Pappas said. Peekskill is in the process of buying the Cortlandt Hook & Ladder firehouse on Main Street, which may eventually move to the central facility, Pappas said.

Consolidation would have a number of benefits, the chief said. They include lower utility costs and cutting response time by having a central station. A training center would mean better firefighters, he said.

The Peekskill Fire Department has 185 volunteer and 24 career firefighters who respond to more than 900 fire calls and 2,000 medical calls a year, Pappas said. The department has a $2.8 million annual budget, he said. The company would not lose any paid members under the consolidation plan.

Once fire officials have met with the City Council, the next step would be to hire an architect. A bond would likely be needed, Testa said.

"We would be eliminating quite a bit of cost in the long run," the mayor said.

[Oswegowind 17]

Sounds great! Central House located on Broad St. near the Social Service Building. That property has always been vacant and not nearly like a park...more or less a waste of space. Peekskill needs a new firehouse, and since they usually are all at one firehouse during the day this makes sense.