Queens Courier - February 05, 2010

Bloomberg announced his intent to close the fire units last Thursday - an effort he said would help fill an estimated $4.9 billion deficit.

While the mayor's newly appointed fire commissioner, Salvatore Cassano, has said the cuts will be carefully considered to minimize their impact on communities, sources close to the discussions indicated that the 16 units slated for closure last year would likely be among them.

And although most of the units being eyed were never disclosed - the City Council restored FDNY funding before a deadline to announce the closures - at least one Queens fire company was on the list. Engine Company 271, which sits on the Ridgewood-Brooklyn border, was among four FDNY units confirmed to be on the mayor's chopping block.

Now renewed proposals to dismantle 20 units is rankling local pols - many of whom fought to save the fire companies in 2009.

Proposals to shut down Company 271 sparked a heated budget battle last summer - a revolt led by Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village), whose district is served by the firefighters.

It was a fight Crowley had thought she won - the freshman councilwoman secured $17 million to preserve the FDNY unit. But the mayor's plans to pursue the cuts once again have put Crowley back on the front lines.

"It is alarming that so many fire company closures are even being proposed in the Mayor's preliminary budget. Fire companies are critical to adequately address fire and emergency services," said Crolwey, who was recently appointed as chairwoman of the Fire and Criminal Justice Committee."We have a responsibility to our tax-paying New Yorkers that when it comes to safety, we deliver."

City officials are defending the proposed cuts, arguing that eliminating an estimated six percent of the FDNY's units would have a minimal impact on record-breaking response times.

All budget proposals must be approved by the City Council. Members began hearings on the plan on Wednesday.