Requires written request and review of proposed reductions in the level of fire services

Summary of provisions

Section 1 of the bill amends subdivision a of section 487 of the New York city charter, as amended by local law number 40 of the city of New York for the year 1989, to amend the current notice provisions and add the requirement that commissioner of the fire department comply with the provisions of newly created section 15-129 of the administrative code of the city of New York with respect to certain proposed reductions of fire services.

Section 2 of the bill amends the administrative code of the city of New York by adding a new section 15-129 that requires approval prior to the reduction of fire services by the Commissioner of the Fire Department as follows:

1) Commissioner shall provide written request with supporting documentation prior to permanent (more than 6 months) closing of any firehouse, permanent removal or relocation of any fire fighting unit to the city council, community boards and borough presidents whose districts are served by the facility in question and the chairperson of the council's public safety committee.

2) Commissioner's written request must include: an environmental impact statement, addressing at least the following: current and projected response times if closing allowed including geographic and traffic analyses as they effect response times; current and projected allocation of resources, including staffing levels in the firehouses or unit in the districts affected by closure; and distance of other firehouses or units in the area affected by closure.

3) Proposed closure is subject to consecutive 30 day review periods by community boards and borough presidents whose districts are affected by closure.

4) If any or all of the affected community boards or borough presidents support the proposal, the council will have 30 days to review and a majority vote will be required to approve the measure.

5) If all of the affected community boards and borough presidents oppose the proposal. the council will have 30 days to review and a 2/3 majority vote will be required to approve the measure.

6) If the permanent closing does not occur with four months of approval, the Commissioner will be required to issue another request pursuant to the requirements of this section.

Section 3 provides for this act to take effect immediately.

Justification

The proposed closure of 20 firehouses by New York city Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2011 poses a significant safety threat to the citizens of New York city and such extreme actions should not be allowed to occur without a complete and transparent review of the potential effects of such closure and without the approval of the city council.

Therefore, this legislation is necessary to give community boards, borough presidents and the city council an opportunity to thoroughly review requests from the Fire Commissioner that provide a detailed analyses in an environmental impact statement setting forth the current and projected response times if a closing were allowed including geographic and traffic analyses as they effect response times, the current and projected allocation of resources, including staffing levels in the firehouses or unit in the districts affected by closure, and the distance of other firehouses or units in the area affected by closure.

In the event that any or all of the affected community boards or borough presidents support the proposal, the council will have 30 days to review and a only majority vote will be required to approve the measure. However, if all of the affected community boards and borough presidents oppose the proposal, the council will have 30 days to review and a 2/3 majority vote will be required to approve the measure.

Prior legislative history

2011-12: S.5662/A.8477 (Braunstein)

Fiscal implications for state and local governments

To be determined.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.