Save Engine 205 Rally on Thursday

By on May 21, 2011 10:57 pm in Government

As many commenters have mentioned, there will be a rally in front of Engine Company 205, 74 Middagh Street, this Thursday (5/26) at 1pm.  The company is on the mayor’s short list of FDNY units to be cut from the city’s budget.

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  • Jeffrey j Smith

    So they want to close Engine 205. Because of “budget consid-
    erations” Really?

    Everyone who is reading this should stop righht now and simply google “CAFR”

    The “cafirs” are the Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports.
    the REAL measure of what’s financially going on in a city..
    This report, always kept as far from open public view as possible, because it shows BOTH the budget AND the income from various
    invested asssets. THEN everyone can see the real financial
    situation. Something nobody in officialdom or the banking community wants. Well…have YOU ever been told about
    th CAFR”S?

    This admistration, which often is as nontransparent as possible, wants to make you think that because of a “financial crises” they
    have to cut your families protection by eliminating the station which guards all our lives.

    Know how EASY it is to lose your life even in a small fire?

    Every one should get it straight, fire houses are stations of
    LIFE,,,,they are basic public safety for every one of us.

  • x

    And yet we are spending several millions of tax dollars building an unnecessary bridge.

    Unbelievable.

  • Jim

    If they agree to stop parking their private vehicles illegally and especially on the sidewalk I’ll come and support them.

  • nabeguy

    Jim, I can only hope that your residence doesn’t ever catch on fire. As a resident of Middagh Street, I’m not going to deny that their parking habits aren’t annoying. But, given that the city allots them only 5 parking spaces on the block, I’ve come to recognize that it’s worth suffering a minor annoyance for the peace of mind of knowing that they are there.

  • BronxKid

    For those of us who can’t make the rally, to whom or where should we send our protests against closing this firehouse?

    Let’s all remember that 8 men from that firehouse died on September 11, 2001!

  • Jeffrey j Smith

    They dont have the funds to safeguard your life? ReallY?
    Just ask to see the NYC CAFR!!!!

    Imagine the BILLIONS nyc renerates in investments and the assets it holds. What? Nobody in the press covers that?
    Nobody in this administration talks about that? Hmmmm-

    Google “CAFR’s” Then we’ll see if they are so broke
    that they have to greatly reduce our families most
    basic safety.

  • AnnOfOrange

    Initial flyer suggested calling “local councilman in District 33 at 718-875-5200 and the Brooklyn Heights Assoc. at 718-858-9193.”

  • gc

    I second x’s comment. What a world, where unnecessary bridges come before safety.

  • north heights res

    Nabeguy, I ask this not to be provocative, but seriously and curiously: why can’t the firefighters take public transportation? My admiration for their courage and work is boundless, but I wonder why all parking rules should be suspended for them.

  • Knight

    I don’t understand why this rally is being held at 1:00 on a Thursday afternoon. Shouldn’t it be scheduled for a time when the greatest number of Heights residents can be there?

  • x

    maybe the firefighters commute from Staten Island

  • Eddy de Lectron

    I’ll bring the effigy of Mike, to burn… Who’s bringing the beer?

  • bornhere

    For those of us who work, that is a horrible time for a real show of support.

    Regarding parking: Are those who are annoyed, annoyed because you can’t do the same?
    And if these guys would ask to park in the middle of my living room, I’d clear a space.

  • weegee

    Among other considerations, firefighters are often detailed to cover vacancies at other houses in different parts of town. That requires transporting your turnout gear—including helmet, turnout coat, bunker pants, and boots—to another firehouse somewhere. Meanwhile, that company may be responding understaffed until your arrival. Try doing that on the subway around the 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. changes of tours.

  • http://www.shootlikeagirlphotography.com Lauren J

    Not having our firehouse open and operating obviously would be a huge loss to our community. Does anyone know to whom we could write to protest the possible closing? Like most of us, I have always felt safer knowing they are there…

  • ABC

    I don’t think closing the firehouse is on the table. We’d still have L118.

  • bornhere

    ABC — Yes, that’s true; but read Weegee’s comment (in the 5/18 post about L118/E205) regarding the potential loss of 205.

  • Matthew Parker

    You can “friend” the engine house on Facebook to get more info and receive updates.

    In Facebook, search for Save Our Engine

  • bridge

    What is the unnecessary bridge people are referring to? The new Kosciuszko bridge? The bridge in alaska?

  • Samantha

    The bridge they are referring to is the preposterous $5 million access bridge to Brooklyn Bridge Park to be built over Furman Street.

    Perhaps we should contact the all-benevolent Nancy Webster, she of the grand Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy who maintains a “deep and meaningful” relationship with the city’s top councilworm Chris Quinn. Then again, probably not. Ol’ Nan is busy trying to unload her 1 Main loft @ $2.15 million. (Now that the park’s built, time to cash out.)

    Then again, maybe we can all contact zoning lobbyist to the real estate developers, Irv Gotbaum. Come to think of it, Irv is busy trying to unload his dumpy 1 Main apt for $3.4 million. Guess these people are only useful when it lines their own pockets. Screw the firemen. Screw Brooklyn. Screw us all.

    Those 15-year Dumbo tax abatements worked out swell. Just not for you.

  • dave

    Cool can I call dibs on one of the great new condos that will be built in FH 205???

  • T.K. Small

    The timing of the rally probably has to do with the news cycle. If it was held after work, it wouldn’t make the evening news. Basically, if it doesn’t get reported, it didn’t happen.

  • bornhere

    TK — I’m not so sure. A 7 PM or 10:55 PM rally would still make the 11 broadcast news. Or a Saturday or Sunday would likely be fine, too — there is nothing magical about May 26.

    Eliminating E205 is a very “local” issue, and the only ones who really need to be aware of a significant turnout are Bloomberg and company — the key here being “significant.”

    Does anyone know who organized this particular rally?

  • T.K. Small

    @bornhere: I was only commenting on the time. As for the date of the rally, I do not have any insight. Much of the 10/11 news is regurgitated from the earlier broadcasts. That is why I was suggesting that in order for the reporter to put together the segment, the earlier timeslot might be better. I am also curious as to who is organizing the rally.

  • bornhere

    TK — on my 150th read of the notice, I’m beginning to think that the House may have organized this:

    “…join us for our rally … officers and members … thank you.”

    Whoever, I hope there will be a sizable turnout (no pun intended).

  • Knight

    But TK, then the news cycle will report “Brooklyn Heights residents shows little support in effort to save firehouse.” Do we really want NJ Burkett to show that only a half dozen retired people showed up?

  • Jeffrey j Smith

    @Bornhere & Knight; The 6/6:30 local news is the one which counts, the 11 reaches people who are tired/burnt out. The 6 PM
    slot is Always FAR better at causing the kind of public response
    which political figures and agency heads have to react to.

    But there is a serious danger here..In my long experiance, in a
    situation like this, the media strongly tends take a “the financial pain finally arrives in toney Brooklyn Heights” spin on what is
    happening…you can imagine the degree of public sympathy
    this kind of “coverage” causes. Media has done this to well-
    off communities with a legitimate safety concerns repeatedly.

    Then there is the basic question of what makes any such
    demonstration newsworthy? There have been dozens of neighborhood protests against fire house closings. This
    is an old, old story.

    To be newsworthy, you need a new or unique reason why
    your protest is different than all that went before.

    And by fortune you have two strong point we can cite;

    1) Cite all the MONEY the Millions and Millions NY City and
    wonderful Albany receives from this one small very
    special area. This is one of the most strongly Tax Positive
    districts in the nation.

    2) Simply ask that everyone be allowed to see the NYC
    CAFR’s The Comprehensive Annual Financial Report..
    (which shows BOTH the budget AND the income from
    investments)…something officialdom wants you to see
    as much as the fed want you to have access to their
    gold swap programs..King Michael doesnt have money
    to provide basic safety for your families? Fine. Let’s
    see the CAFR’s……

  • T.K. Small

    @Knight: I would agree, that is a possible spin/interpretation of a sparsely attended rally. But unless other community groups get involved with the organizing an opposition to closing the neighborhood firehouse, I’m not sure what is a better alternative. I will try to be there, but I have a medical appointment at two which I have been putting off, so I will probably be leaving around 1:30.

  • Eddy de Lectron

    The rally at the firehouse is all well and good. However, I think it would be more effective to have a mass rally on city hall, by people from all neighborhoods affected by the proposed closures.

  • Jeffrey j Smith

    I agree with Eddy. But there shouldbe the Thursday rally, then
    there should be a Saturday rally at Boro hall for everybody who cannot get to the Thirs rally then as per Mr Eddy there should be a combined rally atcity hall AS LONG AS we have the banners and graphics so that BH protesters stand out from the general crown-in recognition of our special status in the city…..

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