lentol's statement on the fire

From Lentol's office. This is the guy who grandstanded at the oil remediation meetings, but hey maybe we need a grandstander.


Lentol Criticizes Mayor’s Firehouse Policy

5/2/06
For immediate release
Contact Person; Catherine Peake (518) 455-4477


Assemblyman Joseph R. Lentol today expressed profound disappointment about
the devastating fire that is still burning in Greenpoint, and the ill
conceived policy of the Bloomberg Administration that closed a local
Firehouse. That firehouse had protected the very neighborhood that is now
burning and injuring NYC Firemen.

Lentol said, “Today an eight alarm fire devastated our Greenpoint
neighborhood, endangering our residents and the brave men and women who are
working to bring the fire under control. We know that successfully fighting
fires is a matter of response time. Engine Co. 212 was closed by Mayor
Bloomberg in an ill conceived budgetary ploy that has now come back to haunt
and burn our community. Unfortunately, hindsight is always 20/20. I and my
community fought tooth and nail to save Engine Co. 212, which was only 10
blocks away from the Greenpoint Terminal. That company should have been the
first responder to this fire. While I can not say that the fire that now
rages in Greenpoint could have been controlled had Engine 212 still existed
and been able to respond, I can and do say that, in a heavy industrial area
with vacant buildings that may contain hazardous materials, any reduction in
fire safety or manpower is short sighted and dangerous.”

Lentol added, “I am angry about Greenpoint’s waterfront burning. Brooklyn
has more than its share of big and dangerous fires. Closing firehouses is
penny wise and pound foolish. Vacant buildings that are slated for
redevelopment are conflagrations waiting to happen. Closing a firehouse in
an area with large uninhabited buildings may be one way to speed urban
redevelopment, but is irresponsible in the extreme.”

Lentol concluded, “One fireman injured it is too many. Government in this
City has its priorities wrong. We need to support and expand fire and police
protection, not save pittances by cutting these essential services, while
spending billions to assist developers.”


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