By Olivia Scheck
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — The number of New Yorkers killed in fires is on track to reach a record-low this year for the second time in a row, the FDNY confirmed Thursday.
Only 56 people have died in fires throughout the five boroughs since the start of 2010, fire officials said via email.
With only one month left in the year, the city could break last year's record low of 73 deaths for all of 2009.
Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano told the New York Post that improved response times were responsible for the drop in fatalities.
The average response time has decreased to roughly 4 minutes, from 4 minutes and 36 seconds in 2005, the paper noted.
Cassano also credited "an aggressive fire safety campaign," according to email sent by the department to DNAinfo.
It is unclear whether the department will be able to maintain its record-breaking trend next year, when Mayor Michael Bloomberg has said he will decrease FDNY funding by $22.9 million. The city plans to slash 100 uniformed administrative positions and reducing night-time staff levels at 20 fire stations.
