NYC Budget deal to avoid FDNY closures

[Anesti 329]

City Council and Mayor Bloomberg have negotiaded a deal to restore about 37 million dollars to keep the 20 fire houses open.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/06/city_wont_be_closing_any_fdny.html

[M' Ave 1,466]

What a surprise.....they "found" the money again.

Smart too. How any politician could think to cut F.D. in this day and age is crazy. Hopefully the bean counters in a few other near by cities will follow suit....

I think that the reality is, a city's Fire Dept. is not even close to the largest budget line. In NYC it's about 3% of the budget. I'm sure that the % grows as the budget is smaller, but still. If pushed hard enough, a mayor can find something else to cut! It's important to educate the public and rally their support.

Edited June 25, 2010 by M' Ave

[Mac8146 61]

If you watched news conference Bloomberg stated that they are going to reduce the 60 Engines that have 5 man manning to 4 man in January. This has to be negotiated but it seems like this is going to happen and the council has agreed to amend the law reagding the alarm boxes which also will be removed. At least we have been spared closings but the manning reduction is going to have impact also.

[16fire5 693]

If you watched news conference Bloomberg stated that they are going to reduce the 60 Engines that have 5 man manning to 4 man in January. This has to be negotiated but it seems like this is going to happen and the council has agreed to amend the law reagding the alarm boxes which also will be removed. At least we have been spared closings but the manning reduction is going to have impact also.

It's funny how he continues to attempt to negotiate the RSOT agreement in the press. I thought there was a stipulation in the agreement against doing this. At the expiration of the RSOT agreement it is like any other contract the provisions continue until another agreement is made.

[M' Ave 1,466]

It's funny how he continues to attempt to negotiate the RSOT agreement in the press. I thought there was a stipulation in the agreement against doing this. At the expiration of the RSOT agreement it is like any other contract the provisions continue until another agreement is made.

If that's the case, that's very interesting. I wonder if something can be done to curb his use of the press prior to our January agreement expiring.

I don't go to many union meetings, but they few that I've been to have covered the RSOT agreement. The current position is, it's not up for debate. The 5th man stays, end of story. He'll have to go to arbitration if he wants a shot at having it pulled. To be honest, our contract is up July 31st and I'd bet that we don't get a new one until the RSOT issue is resolved.

Lastly, as for the Alarm Box issue; this is an American's with Disabilities issue and that might be a major hurtle. I hope they get rid of those nonsense things....

[antiquefirelt 994]

Lastly, as for the Alarm Box issue; this is an American's with Disabilities issue and that might be a major hurtle. I hope they get rid of those nonsense things....

Good news on keeping houses open, hopefully the other nonsense will not come to fruition. I was surprised to other FDNY Brother's making a pitch to keep the alarm boxes? Short of a reduction in nuisance calls that Bloomcrap could try and exploit, I'd think it would be hard to find a downside? Fire alarm division could see cuts? We're dismantling ours this fall. I can't remember the last outside pull or street box we received, nevermind one that was something! In fact with people using cellphones so much, they're more likely to walk by a fire without noticing as they read their texts.

[M' Ave 1,466]

Good news on keeping houses open, hopefully the other nonsense will not come to fruition. I was surprised to other FDNY Brother's making a pitch to keep the alarm boxes? Short of a reduction in nuisance calls that Bloomcrap could try and exploit, I'd think it would be hard to find a downside? Fire alarm division could see cuts? We're dismantling ours this fall. I can't remember the last outside pull or street box we received, nevermind one that was something! In fact with people using cellphones so much, they're more likely to walk by a fire without noticing as they read their texts.

You'd be surprised....

In the short few years that I've been around, I've been to a couple of ERS (emergency reporting, or street pull boxes)that ended up being jobs. Now, I'll admit that, on each occasion, a second source was received and information was updated en route, but it was an ERS pull box that got us rolling in the first place.

They cost NOTHING! A couple of million dollars a year? Even it if's 5 million, that's nothing on a 64 BILLION dollar budget line. What about natural disasters or 9/11? What happens on those crazy days when cell phones aren't all that reliable? It's mere pennies in the great scheme of things, to offer a priceless service.

Edited June 26, 2010 by M' Ave

[antiquefirelt 994]

You'd be surprised....

In the short few years that I've been around, I've been to a couple of ERS (emergency reporting, or street pull boxes)that ended up being jobs. Now, I'll admit that, on each occasion, a second source was received and information was updated en route, but it was an ERS pull box that got us rolling in the first place.

They cost NOTHING! A couple of million dollars a year? Even it if's 5 million, that's nothing on a 64 BILLION dollar budget line. What about natural disasters or 9/11? What happens on those crazy days when cell phones aren't all that reliable? It's mere pennies in the great scheme of things, to offer a priceless service.

Ah, I guess it makes a little more sense where the infrastructure is so large and I assume underground? Our issue is that our lines run throughout on telephone poles and require constant upkeep from fallen trees to salt air corrosion. The frequency of circuits going down has increased dramatically over the last decade and the system has become a real liability. Nothing like getting to an elderly housing complex covered by a box and having the residents ask where we've been for the last half hour, since the alarm never transmitted!