Fire Brigade at Grand Central turns 20

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Cool concept. Grand Central is like a city in itself.

Fire Brigade at Grand Central turns 100

By CAREN HALBFINGER, LoHud.com

(Original publication: May 21, 2007)

The last thing you want to think about when you're getting on or off a train at the start or end of a busy day is what would happen if there were a fire or you had a medical emergency.

At Grand Central Terminal, chances are good that an elevator mechanic, a meter reader, an electrician or an operations desk manager would come running.

These are some of Metro-North Railroad's bravest - the 13 men and six women of the Grand Central Terminal Fire Brigade, which is celebrating its 20th year of service.

They have volunteered to spend hundreds of hours becoming emergency medical technicians, fighting fires and containing and controlling hazardous materials, should the need arise.

Brigade members step away from their regular jobs at the sound of a beep to keep railroad riders, workers and visitors to Grand Central safe and to administer first aid and lifesaving techniques such as using defibrillators when they are in cardiac arrest.

By 8 a.m. Friday, fire Capt. Fred Slater, whose regular job is as an elevator mechanic, and other brigade members had already handled two calls. The first, at 7 a.m., was for a diabetic man who had low blood sugar. Slater administered instant glucose, and the man was soon back on his feet. The second call, at 7:30 a.m., was for a passenger who had slipped, tripped and fallen over a piece of rolling luggage at Track 23. After applying a splint, the passenger was taken to an ambulance and transported to a hospital.

Their fire station is a modest little affair, a squat garage alongside Track 14. It is big enough to house the battery-operated pumper and firetruck that speed them to emergencies throughout the platforms, tracks and tunnels of the sprawling 47-acre terminal.

"This is the railroad caring about the people and the terminal," said Sal Oliva, a 30-year railroad employee from New Rochelle who has been chief for the past nine years.

When the brigade first started, there were a lot more fires to put out. In fact, it was a large fire that ignited in some abandoned rail cars being used as squats by homeless people that led to the brigade's formation.

Brigade members have worked hand in hand with the New York Fire Department and the New York Fire Department to create and vigilantly maintain a fire-prevention program. They have sealed up nooks and crannies to prevent homeless encampments and the combustibles they bring. Smoking isn't allowed in Grand Central anymore, and that has helped too, Oliva said.

In 1987, there were 176 track fires, but last year there were just 17. Firefighters inspect the premises of all retail tenants at Grand Central, looking for fire code violations. They conduct fire drills and check fire extinguishers too.

"We feel there's no honor in a fire that could have been prevented," Oliva said.

Robin Brown, a New Rochelle resident, usually spends her day in front of blinking lights on a computer, supervising railroad operations. "I would like to make a difference," said the former track worker, who enjoys knowing she can help save lives.

Cha Wimana, a meter reader and Manhattan resident, started out as a manager in a bakery at Grand Central 22 years ago. Now she enjoys the chance to learn new things.

"It's a good opportunity," she said. "I love Grand Central."

Slater said he first became an EMT because he had young children and wanted to keep them safe, but loves the chance to keep training.

The best part of the job? "The people I get to meet," said Slater, a Yonkers resident who shares his fellow brigade members' satisfaction in a job well done. "Just the other day, two people came up to me and said, 'Thank you for helping me.' "

[Guest]

Very nice. I saw these guys responding to a medical emergency on my morning train. My train made it's last stop in Fleetwood and somewhere along the way someone must have had some trouble. We bombed into Grand Central, bypassing 125th St. and were greeted by a small electric cart with a full EMS compliment. Looked like a solid operation, as far as I could tell in passing.

[Guest]

Don't know, unless the emergency happened right in the area of 125 and they figured they'd get thier people there faster in GCT. Perhaps it wasn't so too serious. I don't know.

[MPACE2-299 0]

Maybe the patient did not want to get off at 125th street? Can you blame him?

[Oswegowind 17]

that sounds pretty cool. i never knew about that before.

i dont mean to change topics.. but why would the train pass 125th street for a medical emergency? if it stopped there, i know that a FDNY bus has a cross street right next to the station. plus the ride from 125th to GCT is like 10 minutes.

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Not only that, Harlem Hospital is like a stone's throw from there...What is the closest hospital to GCT? I really don't know but I would think one of the one's on the East Side along the East River Bank...

[grumpyff 1,159]

Bellevue is closest to GCT (located E33st/1 Ave) Train crew most likely called ahead to the dispatcher who notified EMS, and directed train to GCT in order to meet . No guarantee that bus would be at 125 st. Also holding the train at 125St/Harlem would disrupt the rest of the trains up and down the lines.