A Public Hearing is scheduled for December 6th at 7:30 pm at City Hall, please come out to support public safety and voice your concern.
Consider that New Rochelle Fire Company Ladder 12 is closed today. Since the release of the preliminary budget it has been out of service more than it has been in service. The preliminary budget calls for a reduction of 5 less (almost 20%) fire fighters working per shift since 2009 and to permanently close Ladder 12 for 2012. Ladder 12 is a crucial part of the Fire Departments ability to provide “time of the essence” life-saving service; its primary function includes search and rescue. A normal response to a call requires that 2 engines and 2 trucks respond. If the response happens to be in the North End of New Rochelle and another call comes in on Pelham Road, there will not be another ladder to respond. Even if the call turns out to be a false alarm, the travel time to respond to the other end of the city can be upwards of 21 minutes (as per map quest); the distance between the 2 ends of New Rochelle is more than 8 miles apart.
Just this past Thanksgiving, the FDNY bravest were praised for saving the lives of 5 people including an 8 month old child where it was reported that the child didn’t take a breath for 5 ½ minutes, sustained damage to his lungs and is currently in critical condition. Thanks to the speedy response and the ability of the rescue crew to get there in a timely manner, all were saved and have a second chance at life.
Closing a ladder company and reducing the men available on duty can be devastating. Fires burn no different in New Rochelle than those in New York City. This message is not intended to scare people, it is truth; should the cuts be implemented, it will greatly increase risk and reduce the service that you the residents of New Rochelle deserve.
Saving Jobs
I don’t think the city is really interested in saving Firefighter jobs or money for that matter.
Here is one for instance. In 2005 the city sold their portion of the YMCA/Boys club on Weyman Ave. to the YMCA part of the deal was that the city was to invest over 1/2 million into the cities other 2 YMCA’s for renovations which they did. Why they did this was beyond me, I guess one of our citizens has a little influence on our city manager. Six years later that same citizen tells our city manager that the 1/2 million was never spent on the other 2 YMCA’s. Well now it seems our City Manager doesn’t recall either and is about to write another check for 1/2 million. That money could save a lot of lives, with the keeping of 18 crossing guards and 6 essential firefighters!!!!!!
Citizens To Be Heard Dec. 6th City Hall
Are you a citizen? Would you like to be heard? Stop these elected officials from placing our families and our properties in danger! 7:30 City Hall, Dec. 6th! Don’t just sit back and let this reckless governing continue!
Citizens To Be Heard Dec. 6th City Hall
Let your voice be heard. 7:30 Dec. 6th
city Hall. Speak out against the elected officials and their reckless abandon of our families lives.