Res. No. 40
Title
Resolution calling upon the appropriate Committee of the Council of the City of New York to conduct an oversight hearing on the temporary closing of the firehouse at 124 Liberty Street, which housed Engine Company 10 and Ladder Company 10, due to damage caused by the September 11th attack.
Body
By Council Members Avella, Clarke, Gerson, Gennaro, Jennings, Lopez, McMahon, Quinn and Reyna; also Council Member Addabbo Jr.
Whereas, Prior to September 11th, Engine Company 10 and Ladder Company 10 were housed at 124 Liberty Street, across from the World Trade Towers; and
Whereas, On September 11th, both Companies responded to the World Trade Center and lost two officers and three firefighters, as well as fire trucks and equipment; and
Whereas, The September 11th attack resulted in serious damage to the firehouse at 124 Liberty Street; and
Whereas, Engine Company 10 and Ladder Company 10 continued to operate from 124 Liberty Street without fire apparatus until October 23, 2001; and
Whereas, On November 3, 2001, Engine Company 10 received a fire truck and went back on line responding from the quarters of Engine Company 4 and Ladder Company 15, located at 42 South Street; and
Whereas, Ladder Company 10 was not re-established and their members were transferred to Engine Company 10; and
Whereas, Prior to September 11th, Ladder Company 10 responded to Battery Park City, the American and New York Stock Exchanges, City Hall, and the New York Mercantile Exchange, as well as World Finance Centers 1, 2, 3, and 4; and
Whereas, In addition, Ladder Company 10 was one of ten chemical protective companies throughout the five boroughs; and
Whereas, Currently, the firehouse at 124 Liberty Street remains closed and is scheduled for repairs that are estimated to take a minimum of four to eight months; and
Whereas, The closing of the firehouse, combined with extensive road closings, barriers, debris removal equipment, and additional express buses, have resulted in a dramatic increase in response time for runs to Battery Park City; and
Whereas, On November 20, 2002, Community Board # 1, which represents the Battery Park City community, unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Fire Department to work closely with the Battery Park City Authority to create an interim firehouse for Engine and ladder Company 10 in Battery Park City; and
Whereas; In November, a coalition of elected officials representing Lower Manhattan wrote a letter to Mayor Giuliani suggesting that the Fire Department relocate the two companies to an interim site near the southwest end of Lower Manhattan while repairs to 124 Liberty Street are conducted; and
Whereas, It is important for the City to ensure that the residents, schools, and businesses of Lower Manhattan are adequately protected while their firehouse is repaired; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That this resolution calls upon the appropriate Committee of the Council of the City of New York to conduct an oversight hearing on the temporary closing of the firehouse at 124 Liberty Street, which housed Engine Company 10 and Ladder Company 10, due to damage caused by the September 11th attack.