Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler, Councilman Domenic Recchia, Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, State Senator Diane Savino, Members of the FDNY, and concerned residents rallied to save Ladder Company 161, which serves Greater Coney Island and Brighton Beach in Brooklyn.  Ladder Company 161, housed at 2929 West 8th Street, is one of the 20 NYC firehouses slated for closure under Mayor Bloomberg’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2012.

“Ladder Company 161 is simply too important for the safety and well-being of this neighborhood to be eliminated,” said Congressman Nadler.  “The Company’s hardworking firefighters form the frontline in protecting this community – the seniors and families who live in the many high-rises, and the millions who use Coney Island’s famed beach and amusements each year.  Let’s continue to support Ladder Company 161 and our local firefighters in doing what they do best – protecting residents of Coney Island and Brighton Beach, as they have done for so long.”
 
“We cannot allow Ladder 161 to close,” said Councilman Recchia. “Closing a ladder company surrounded by high-rise buildings would be a mistake. It would mean more work for the surrounding firehouses, and increased response times when there’s an emergency. As chairman of the City Council’s Finance Committee, I know that in tough economic times we have to make tough decisions. In spite of that, public safety must remain our top priority in the budget process. We’re here today to show our support to the firefighters of Ladder 161, because they’ve always been there when we needed them.”

“Even in times of fiscal uncertainty, public safety needs to be our top priority,” said Assemblyman Brook-Krasny.  “Unfortunately, it seems that our Mayor’s priorities are backwards. We need to stand together and stand firm to show Mayor Bloomberg we need this firehouse, it is our right to feel safe at night and know that help is around the corner if we need it.”

“I am flabbergasted that eight engine and ladder companies—nearly half of the 20 proposed closures citywide—are in Brooklyn,” said Borough President Markowitz. “If there is any serious thought being given to closing Ladder 161 and the other seven houses, it needs to be extinguished like a three-alarm fire. I know we are experiencing challenging economic times, but the truth is, in Brooklyn we need the FDNY now more than ever. Brooklyn is growing by leaps and bounds, and Coney Island is no exception, which means that in the coming years there will be an ever greater need for New York’s Bravest. It is our collective responsibility to ensure maximum safety for all of our residents—and that means no firehouse closings!”

Ladder Company 161 is the only tower ladder in Coney Island and one of only a dozen 95-foot ladders citywide.  It is responsible for 2.5 miles of beach, businesses and a major concentration of high rises, many of which house seniors in an isolated area.  The Company protects a neighborhood of 60,000 residents, including 15 schools, a large mass-transit hub, and the millions of visitors to Coney Island’s beach and attractions each year.

As recently as May 25th, Ladder 161 rescued a man who was trapped in his burning home on Bayview Avenue.  The nearest ladder companies are Ladder 166, located a mile away, and Ladder 153, two miles away.  During an emergency situation, seconds count.

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