NYC Budget Cuts

[25truck26 29]

Looks like Mayor Mike is ready to cancel Police Academy class and close 5 Engine Companies in the city.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/11042008/news/...jobs_136997.htm

[ny10570 745]

Bad old days came here fast this time. Bloomy is no doubt an astute businessman, but I can't help but see these cuts as being somewhat knee jerk. There are certainly benefits to getting ahead of the deficit but this whole thing is overkill.

[Truck4 48]

From the AP:

"The firefighting training academy will reduce its program from 23 weeks to 18 weeks to save operational costs. The mayor, who drew criticism when he closed firehouses to save money during his first term, also plans to eliminate nighttime engine companies in five firehouses that also have ladder companies. The move allows those firehouses to stay open but with fewer firefighters at night."

[x635 4,066]

Isn't NYPD considerably understaffed already as it is?

Also, what would be cut out of those weeks of FDNY academy training???

[Guest]

NYPD is understaffed in the street, plenty of people 'hiding out'. The 5 weeks cut from Proby school will cut out NOTHING, they didnt do anything for 6 weeks anyway.

[firefighter2711 12]

Smart Idea. Ive never heard of a fire starting at night, or someone needing CPR at 2 A.m.

Good Luck on the third term

[Guest]

yea tell me about it. I was all set to go into the january NYPD academy. My last medical was yesterday at 3pm and my process was going to be completely done and I was ready for hire. DoomBerg announced the canceling of the academy at noon. Tough Luck Huh!

[e92l44 0]

As many of you may be aware, the 9/11/01 attacks occured on the night tour.

Oh yeah, every politician who said, "We'll never forget!" has long forgotten....We will have to remember.

[PCFD ENG58 1,085]

The mayor of NYC was seen at the mayors office in RYE BROOK to get a copy of there hours!

[ajsbear 11]

The mayor of NYC was seen at the mayors office in RYE BROOK to get a copy of there hours!

They have cops on duty at night in Rye Brook, fires are not allowed after 5.

[gamewell45 258]

Smart Idea. Ive never heard of a fire starting at night, or someone needing CPR at 2 A.m.

Good Luck on the third term

Hopefully the police are trained in CPR.

[EJS1810 7]

Hopefully the police are trained in CPR.

They have to be, it's on the side of all NYPD RMP's

[JM15 386]

They have to be, it's on the side of all NYPD RMP's

haha

[smwells 7]

Bloomberg fought to be allowed to run for another term, just in time to ensure they won't want him....

Edited November 6, 2008 by smwells

[Guest]

what 5 fire station any including the satelite trucks?

[M' Ave 1,466]

what 5 fire station any including the satelite trucks?

No stations buddy, only fire "houses"

Listen, the talk so far is very preliminary. This idea is only being kicked around, at this time. The idea is to add 25 men to the man power, thus cutting overtime. This is kinda stupid since the city is SURPLUS at least 50 men on every tour. This means that every engine that currently has 4 FF and an Off. gets the 5th man back. About 150 of the 208 engines are short the 5th man.

This is a real ploy by politicians to try to save a couple of bucks yet not upset community boards by closing a firehouse. They're suggesting that only firehouses with a truck will loose the engine overnight. Since most of the public doesn't differentiate between an engine and a truck, they'l think they still have fire protection. Also, the city has made a big deal about response times and they've, somewhat, backed themselves into a corner because of this. HOWEVER, since the first unit on scene stops the clock, this plan won't effect response times as the truck will arrive at the same time that the engine would have. This is HUGELY misleading to the public.

The areas that stand to loose an engine at night are speculated to be those with a very low residential make-up and a close second due engine. (The city has stated areas that are predominantly commercial)

There is loss on another level here as well. I think this would be a huge destruction of company pride of the engine shuttered at night. The men working will never work a night tour together. They'll be sent out around the city. Permanent night time details. This is a loss that's is intangible to an outsider and certainly not one that the city will ever take into account when making budget cuts.

[firefighter59 20]

They have cops on duty at night in Rye Brook, fires are not allowed after 5.

I think Rye Brook Fire works 7am till 7 pm

[Ladder44 73]

Its sad to say that if these plans go through its going to take a death or something due to these plans to change them and wake up the politicians. How about a few security gurads get the boot, why need all those men the mayor rarely has attacks rights so what could happen?

[sbvfd596 2]

I got a letter from NYPD recruitment two days ago, inviting me to a seminar in Nov. The letter also stated that they were hiring for Jan 2009. After reading the post, I'm not sure what to believe

[ny10570 745]

The NYPD letter is older than the recent budget events.

Lets also remember that those areas losing an engine are currently probably also down an ambulance or two on the overnight as all ready. Hunts Point being an excellent example. Take their engine away and after a B.S. diff breather from 11p to 6a the nearest help is 12 to 15 minutes away.

[grumpyff 1,159]

They have to be, it's on the side of all NYPD RMP's

Cant

Pay

Rent

[M' Ave 1,466]

The NYPD letter is older than the recent budget events.

Lets also remember that those areas losing an engine are currently probably also down an ambulance or two on the overnight as all ready. Hunts Point being an excellent example. Take their engine away and after a B.S. diff breather from 11p to 6a the nearest help is 12 to 15 minutes away.

I doubt Hunts Point is on the block. They've got a busy, low income residential area that makes up a considerable amount of their first due.

[EJS1810 7]

So the city is now crying the budget woes and wants to "close" companies. Why are they spending 10's of Thousands of Dollars to change the signs for the Verrazano Narrows Bridge to the Robert F Kennedy Memorial Bridge. Hey Mike! Prioritize!

[ny10570 745]

I doubt Hunts Point is on the block. They've got a busy, low income residential area that makes up a considerable amount of their first due.

True, but pick any neighborhood that the city might pull the engine on the overnights and you find a similar situation.

[smwells 7]

So the city is now crying the budget woes and wants to "close" companies. Why are they spending 10's of Thousands of Dollars to change the signs for the Verrazano Narrows Bridge to the Robert F Kennedy Memorial Bridge. Hey Mike! Prioritize!

The Tribough Bridge is the one being renamed, but regardless, thousands being spent so more people can get lost...

[Oswegowind 17]

Not for nothing but isn't the bridge MTA or TBTA and those are separate entities than the city so the money for that name change is probably allocated by their own independent budget that is collected via tolls and other taxes but is separate than the city's operational budget. NYC isn't the only location that will be seeing changes, there may be another city close to there! We all understand that cutting of police and fire isn't essentially good, but at times in life there are necessary changes to be made because of the financial crisis. What should we just take everyone else's paychecks to keep up the lines so they can't even afford to live where there is protection? Eventually we will boom again and things will get better and new things will happen, sometimes we have to take the bad in order to get the good!

[Guest]

Let them close 50 company's at night. The people who get screwed are the residents. Im worried why Yolanda Vega is not picking the numbers anymore!

[JBE 328]

What makes it worse is there is an uproar about it, but nobody says anything that 15-20 fire COMPANIES are closed on a daily basis, CITYWIDE.

12 were closed today, including Battalions, for various training that lasts all day. Another 13 units were closed for a part of the day for training. Another 8 are out of service right now for training. 25 units out of service for either all, or a part of the day tour. Silence. This is just as dangerous as shutting anyone down on a night tour. You guys are right, all they care about is the response times, hence no single engines will be shut down. And they also know how stupid the general public is by saying the service will not be affected. We all know better.

My own personal opinion, a gamble is being taken by the current mayoral and FD administration. We're going to have to work with less. It's going to blow up in their faces the minute a civilian or God forbid a FF buys it. Although I don't like it, and I don't want to see any house get shut down overnight, it's better than losing the house permanently.

[ex-commish 490]

I believe what is happening in NYC is just the beginning and is happening nationwide.

[gamewell45 258]

I believe what is happening in NYC is just the beginning and is happening nationwide.

Your absolutely right. It's going to get alot worse before it gets better.