STATEN ISLAND — Staten Island elected officials started a push to bring a group of specially trained firefighters to the borough, which they say has long been underserved.
Borough President James Oddo sent a letter to the FDNY last week requesting that the first squad company — a group of firefighters who respond to large jobs to support other engines — be brought to Staten Island. The letter was signed off by every elected official representing the area.
"Staten Islanders are underserved on any given day," said Oddo. "When there are multiple jobs at once we very often need to rely on assistance from FDNY companies coming from Brooklyn."
Every other borough in the city has a squad company — which usually responds to emergencies within a larger geographic region and come to the aid of local engine companies when needed — and the only one that comes to Staten Island is Squad 1, which is based in Park Slope, Oddo said.
Oddo originally pushed for a squad company dedicated to the borough several years ago, along with Councilman Vincent Ignizio, but the idea was scrapped because of budget concerns, which was already forcing some firehouses in the city to close.
"This administration has a better appreciation for what local firefighters and local firehouses mean to individual communities," said Oddo. "This administration has a different fiscal climate. I think it's the right time to be banging the drum."
Squad companies usually have four officers and 25 firefighters and Oddo estimated it would cost about $2.5 million to bring one to Staten Island. To save on costs, the company wouldn't need to have a station house built because there are several in the borough that have room for them, Oddo said.
"We need the service, we want to make this case together and prior to a tragedy," Oddo said. "I don't want to govern by tragedy, I want to say it proactively that we need this help in hopes of avoiding any loss of life."
The FDNY did not immediately respond to request for comment.
