Bloomberg to Slash 1 Billion from NYC Budget

[Goose 188]

http://wcbstv.com/breakingnewsalerts/nyc.b...r.2.921808.html

Not good...

[IzzyEng4 427]

Hate to say it but its the sign of the times no matter how much we hate it!

[ny10570 745]

And here's the pound of flesh...

http://www.nyc.gov/html/omb/downloads/pdf/tech1_09.pdf

A quick summary

NYPD - losing 1000 officers from its headcount (they still are short of filling their allotted roster)

FDNY - 3 engine, 1 ladder overnight closures and Governors Island are are now eliminated.

- 12 additional companies in double houses will be eliminated through attrition.

- The brand new Fire Marshal base opened in Queens to much fanfare just a year ago will be closed.

- 30 BLS tours will be eliminated through attrition.

- 90 ALS tours will be converted from 2 Paramedics to 1 Paramedic and 1 EMT.

- 9 Lieutenant positions will be eliminated.

There are also a slew of civilian staff reductions, fleet maintenance changes, etc.

Edited January 30, 2009 by ny10570

[Truck4 48]

The mayor wants the 5th firefighter from 64 Engine companies in exchange for the 16 closures.

If the union reopens thier contract and gives back the 5th firefighter, the companies stay open.

[x635 4,066]

I know I'll get some for saying this, but Bloomberg is a smart guy with money...he made himself a billionare and built an international empire. He's probaly most suited to be mayor during this tough time.

Also, is double medic staffing really neccesary in NYC? In most cases, transport times to hospitals are short and a lot of the calls are BLS. I think the city's mistake was taking away units from the private hospitals providing EMS, as they technically were getting those ambulances for free, but all those hospitals seem to be cutting EMS staffing too.

As the mayor emphasized during his speech, a lot can change between now and July 1st....let's just pray it's for the better.

[cas2383 22]

The city's income is drastically reduced by the ammount of business lost over the last couple months, its unfortunate but in better times theres always the chance of re-providing services again.

[NJMedic 96]

I know I'll get some for saying this, but Bloomberg is a smart guy with money...he made himself a billionare and built an international empire. He's probaly most suited to be mayor during this tough time.

Also, is double medic staffing really neccesary in NYC? In most cases, transport times to hospitals are short and a lot of the calls are BLS. I think the city's mistake was taking away units from the private hospitals providing EMS, as they technically were getting those ambulances for free, but all those hospitals seem to be cutting EMS staffing too.

As the mayor emphasized during his speech, a lot can change between now and July 1st....let's just pray it's for the better.

I'm guessing this will be a dramtic change on how EMS operates. They have been two medics as long as I can remember. All depends on how they pick the EMTs. If it is a free for all God help the medics because they will be there all alone. Granted you might have some good EMTs that will be able to take the load of the medic but I think it will a roll of the dice. Street distance doesn't mean a thing. What happens when your fifty stories up in midtown with an MI? Even going a mile in NYC traffic takes a while. If you were to argue that two medics per bus was a quality issue what do you tell people now? Sorry, times are rough and the quality of care will reflect that.

[x635 4,066]

Dual medic has it's advantages, but also it's disadvantages. It allows weak Paramedics to get by, and robs EMT-B's a chance of getting ALS experience and a good foundation for becoming a Medic. If FDNY*EMS implements it right, which they probaly won't, there should be a "ALS Interface" class for the EMT's, and new, strong clinical oversight of all Paramedics. Also, as far as MI's go, the way it is going, at least down here, is time is muscle....and treating it like a trauma and getting them to the cath lab as quickly as possibly and doing everything else enroute. EMT-I is also another route.

[mfc2257 464]

Mayor Bloomberg, although a lifelong social liberal, is a fiscal conservative who has already brought they city back from a major budget deficit once in his tenure. Many of the severe actions he took to save the city from financial ruin following the murders of 9/11/2001, he reversed after the city was in better financial shape.

I would suspect that he will do the same following this financial downturn.

I don't agree with him socially, but from a fiscal standpoint I think the city is in the best hands possible.

[ny10570 745]

Its the cities job to provide fire protection for the city and the firefighters job to ensure they have what it takes to do the job. Their tactics are based on either having the 5th man so keep the 5th man. In the mean time if the city has to cut companies than you do what you can with resources available.

I beg to differ on two levels. First, the size of the system allows weak medics to get by. We have weak medic pairs, weak EMTs, weak supervisors, weak cops, weak firefighters, weak teachers, do I have to keep going? We have in the neighborhood of 650 paramedics (not including supervisors). Find a way that can improve on quality control without being prohibitively expensive and you can get a sweet gig consulting for every major ems system in the country. The second issue is, I've seen weak medics running fly car ALS and working buses with an EMT. The big difference there is there was no one to pick up the slack. No matter how high you set the bar there will always be weaker employees. As far as cardiac cath, yes we are deep into this issue. Stemi's are treated like trauma in that the clock is ticking as soon as we're on scene. Within 15 minutes we're to be on the phone with telemetry setting up the alert at our nearest cath lab. Post arrests also receive 12 leads and will be transported to a stemi center if applicable. We have also begun transporting all post arrests to hospitals capable of hypothermic therapy. This doesn't eliminate the need for ALS rather it requires better teamwork and quick medics.

There is no doubt that Mike knows money. The only problem is he has become more and more of a politician. When the economy first hit the skids all non-essential programing should have gone. His million tree goal, bike paths, etc. Instead he kept them until the bitter end. Why does he blame civil service employee benefits for problems the city created? Every financial planner in the world will tell you your first priority is to save up enough cash to miss work for 6 months, yet every government, as soon as it has some extra cash starts spending like drunken sailors. There is no doubt the cuts have to happen, I just want all of the cuts to be absolutely necessary.

[Monty 35]

From the secret list:

FDNY BUDGET-16 FIRE COMPANY CLOSINGS, JOB CUTS, LAYOFFS:

Here is what has been issued by FDNY's top brass related to budget cuts by the Mayor:

+ 4 fire company night closings will become full time closings effective 7-1-09.

+ 7 additional fire companies will be disbanded effective 7-1-09.

+ 5 additional fire companies will be disbanded effective 1-1-10.

+ 30 BLS ambulance tours and 9 supervisory lines in conditions cars will be eliminated effective 7-1-09.

+ 27 Fire Marshal lines and 5 Supervising Fire Marshal lines will be eliminated based on attrition.

+ 32 EMS administrative lines in units through out the Department will be eliminated, which will require those members on full duty in the designated units to return to ambulance duty and those members with Reasonable Accommodations to seek other accommodations if available, otherwise they will need to retire.

+ All civilian vacancies that have not been approved by OMB have now been eliminated.

+ There is a complete freeze on all new civilian attrition that occurs until June 30, 2010. This does not include Fire Prevention, Dispatchers, Grant funded positions, Deutsche Bank Task Force positions or ECTP related lines. The Bureau of Personnel Resources will be issuing new civilian guidelines to address critical vacancies.

+ Security Services for Randall’s Island, Fort Totten and Maspeth will be discontinued by March 1, 2009.

Seems pretty significant - I know FDNY is a massive organization, but this is a lot of equipment and manpower. Hopefully they wont actually be laying off any Firefighters.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

Wow, this is a shame.

[Mofire24 27]

I heard of atleast 2 bronx engine companies does anyone know what companies are being disbanded

[Guest]

Are they really saving money on closing for the night from what i'm told the firefighters are still working in other houses and the houses still have electric and heat on ??? What are they saving fuel?

[helicopper 1,050]

Are they really saving money on closing for the night from what i'm told the firefighters are still working in other houses and the houses still have electric and heat on ??? What are they saving fuel?

The savings is probably in overtime. They take the five guys and deploy them to stations where there are staffing shortages that would otherwise have to be filled with OT and you're going to see a savings over time.

30 BLS ambulance tours? Per day? Per week? That's a huge hit on an already drained system. How're they going to do that?

[M' Ave 1,466]

In his budget address, Mayor Bloomberg announced several measures to meet the 7% cut he required of the FDNY. These cuts include the elimination of the Queens Fire Marshall base, reductions in civilian staffing and the possible closing of 16 companies in two installments over the next fiscal year. He will look to the union for some concessions to avoid the closing of companies. One of the concessions he seeks is the reduction of manning on 64 engine companies from 5FF and an Off. to 4FF and an Off. No layoffs are planned, however there will be no hiring in 2009, at the very least.

Edited February 2, 2009 by M' Ave

[ny10570 745]

30 tours a day or 10 24hr units.

[25truck26 29]

"Central do you have an ETA on the bus? I have been waiting 30 min." Because this is already happening.

[snkbitn 2]

I'm not trying to turn a serious issue into a Joke, but I read this and thought hows that for Karma!

You can read it here, Mayor Bloomberg bit by Groundhog.

Article from the International Herald Tribune republished article from the AP.

[Steve 78]

I read yesterday that the FDNY now intends on closing 16 companies. Does anybody know what companies are on the chopping block?

[helicopper 1,050]

Street distance doesn't mean a thing. What happens when your fifty stories up in midtown with an MI? Even going a mile in NYC traffic takes a while. If you were to argue that two medics per bus was a quality issue what do you tell people now? Sorry, times are rough and the quality of care will reflect that.

Absolutely right - street distance doesn't include vertical transport times and traffic. BUT, the reality is where's the second medic during the transport? DRIVING - so how much is he/she really helping the other medic anyway?

It will be interesting to see if our local school districts adopt such an approach to their next budget... Or will they simply increase our taxes by 20% instead of 10%. :angry:

[M' Ave 1,466]

I read yesterday that the FDNY now intends on closing 16 companies. Does anybody know what companies are on the chopping block?

The 3 Engines currently closed at night: 4, 161 and 271. Ladder 53.

Other than that NO ONE has a clue. There are rumors, but no official announcements. Fact is, the city council has already begun the fight against the closings. Hopefully they'll be successful in their attempt to lesson the budget cut. Companies will most certainly still be shuttered, but I'd like to think that they'll settle for fewer than they are asking for.

Too bad our commish is a total stoolie for the mayor. I know he has to work with the guy and no doubt has to make some budget cuts, but he hasn't shown one bit of back-bone in defense of the FDNY.

[ny10570 745]

Absolutely right - street distance doesn't include vertical transport times and traffic. BUT, the reality is where's the second medic during the transport? DRIVING - so how much is he/she really helping the other medic anyway?

There isn't a whole lot of patient going on during transport. If there has to be, a BLS is called to assist on scene and drive the vehicles. The big difference is patient care on scene. When the poo is circling the drain, a set of trained hands makes it all immensely easier and improves the quality of care given. Yeah, there's nothing that a single medic can't handle without a properly trained EMT, but the quality and speed improves when you run two medics. In a system as busy as NYC a lone medic is going to burn out handling all the patient care 8 or 12 hours a day.