Officials: Staten Island Deprived Of Specialized FDNY Rescue Unit
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Staten Island's FDNY Rescue 5 specializes in putting out fires and handling hazmat situations and high-angle rescues. But Staten Island remains the only borough that does not have the extra protection of an elite FDNY squad -- a team designed specifically for high-risk rescues and fires.
As CBS2's Emily Smith reported, a squad of that kind can be compared to all-star team in sports. There are seven in New York City.
"Why aren't they doing it?" one man asked. "Why are they having a hard time making that decision?"
"To leave one borough out of something that's structural makes no sense," one woman added.
Staten Island Borough President James Oddo requested the specialized squad in a June 9 letter, pointing out the borough doesn't need another firehouse; they just want the specialized squad.
All elected officials on Staten Island signed the letter to FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro supporting the request.
"Three hundred and sixty-five days a year, we're actually understaffed in terms of the FDNY on Staten Island," Oddo said. "If you look at the number of firehouses we have in 2015, if you look at the number of engine companies, trucks on Staten Island, compare that to 1970, let's say, we're really not that far advanced."
The population has nearly doubled since then -- and still no squad for the borough.
"Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx each have two, Manhattan has one, and we have zero," Oddo said.
FDNY officials would not comment on the situation other than to say, "FDNY has received the letter and is reviewing the request."
Former FDNY Commissioner Tom Von Essen said he never added a specialized squad because the nature of Staten Island's fires and incidents never necessitated it. The population includes more single-family homes than apartment dwellings, and less risk.
But elected officials disagree, saying it's a critical service needed right now.
Currently in an emergency, Staten Islanders have to rely on other boroughs and wait for a special squad to cross the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
"We believe the level of fire protection on Staten Island is not fair, and we want to see the mayor address this long-standing inequity," Oddo said.
Adding a squad would cost more than $2 million a year and include four officers and 25 firefighters.
