Union Calls for all Engine Companies to be Fully Staffed with Five Firefighters

By Forum Staff

e Uniformed Fire ghters Association of Greater New York on Friday called on the City to fully sta all engine companies with ve re ghters.

Just 20 out of a total of 197 engine companies have ve re ghters, the union noted.

“ is morning on Underhill Avenue in Brooklyn, a re resulted in a re ghter being taken to the Cornell burn center with non-life threatening burns and civilian being taken to the hospital with lifethreatening injuries. It is clear that having a h re ghter on the responding engine companies would have a signi cant impact on pu ing out res faster, reducing the destruction of property and increasing the chances of a civilian surviving a re,” the UFA wrote in a statement. “Currently, only 10 percent of NYC re engines are fully sta ed with a h re ghter, which can help get a hose line in place and water on the re more quickly. Slowing the growth of a re keeps residents and re ghters safer. It is imperative for the Fire Department, City Council, and mayor to understand this. During code blue sub-freezing temperatures, it becomes even more challenging to get water on the re due to frozen hydrants. is is especially important during the peak re season, when residents use space heaters and sometimes their ovens to stay warm. e City and FDNY need to acknowledge the connections between dangerously cold weather and its e ect on res and public safety and fully sta all engines with a h re ghter in these conditions.”

City Councilwoman Joann Ariola (ROzone Park), chairwoman of the Council Commi ee on Fire and Emergency Management, said she “could not agree more” with the UFA. “Understa ed engines can cost lives,” she said.