NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – An FDNY union is urging City Hall to put the brakes on a cost-cutting plan that that would reduce the number of firefighters on fire engines.
The plan would mean engines would respond to emergencies with only four firefighters – a move the Uniformed Firefighters Association warns would be dangerous to firefighters and residents alike.
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Fire engines are currently staffed with five firefighters; the fifth firefighter is responsible for positioning and operating the hoseline and making sure it’s properly secured to the hydrant.
Under the new plan, 20 fire companies around the city would lose their fifth man.
The UFA held an emergency press conference at City Hall Monday afternoon to urge Mayor Bill de Blasio to stop the cuts.
UFA President Gerard Fitzgerald told 1010 WINS it’s a perilous idea, with firefighters responding to a record 600,000 calls last year.
“The way the city is today, where it’s more populated, we’re responding to incidences at record-breaking levels,” Fitzgerald said. “The fact that our city is getting taller, with all the construction that’s going on – we should be putting more firefighters on the street, not less.”
Fitzgerald said the mayor is legally allowed to reduce headcounts on fire trucks.
"He has the right to do it, technically, according to our bargain contract, but we believe the safety impact is more important than the stipulation of the contract," Fitzgerald said.