Fire
Commissioner
Salvatore Cassano
today said
“everything is on
the table” as the
city eyes closing
fire companies
citywide — including
possibly two on
Staten Island — to
come to grips with a
$5 billion budget
gap.
But Cassano, of
Huguenot, who took
the helm of the FDNY
last month, said the
department “will
ensure we have the
proper resources in
each neighborhood
and do everything
possible to ensure
the safety” of
residents if
closures come to
pass.
Engine Co. 161 in
South Beach is
likely to be among
20 companies on the
chopping block.
Targeted last year,
it was temporarily
closed overnight
until funding was
restored.
Engine Co. 157 in
Port Richmond also
faces being shut
down.
During a speech
before 70 at a
Staten Island Rotary
Club lunch meeting
in the Staaten, West
Brighton, Cassano
said he and his
staff will “look at
a multitude of
factors,” including
response time and
population and
tapping into the
expertise of borough
commanders, as well
as a new computer
assessment program,
before making a
determination about
closures.
“It will be a
detailed process if
we have to do that,”
said Cassano.
Prior to his
remarks, Cassano
told the Advance
that 31-year FDNY
veteran Deputy
Assistant Chief
Michael Marrone of
Castleton Corners
will be sworn in as
acting borough
commander Thursday.
“I’m certainly happy
for the promotion
and the opportunity
to both give the
benefit of my
knowledge and to
learn,” said Marrone.
Elsewhere, Cassano
told Rotarians he
wants to “build upon
what we have
achieved” in
enhanced response
time and fewer
fire-related deaths,
and continue to make
the FDNY “the best
trained, best
equipped fire
department in the
world,” adding, “We
should never rest on
our laurels.”
He also sought to
deflect a question
from the audience
about a case before
the U.S. Justice
Department alleging
racial
discrimination in
the FDNY, saying in
his view the
department “did not
intentionally
discriminate” in its
admission and
promotion practices
of minority
candidates.
