FDNY had it right many years ago when Engine 69 was in the old quarters of Ladder 39 on East 233 St in the Woodlawn section. Remember that Eng 63 is also housed on East 233 St, but in the Wakefield area. As you know EMS Station 27 was built on the site of the former fire station. This station houses 5 ambulances, four which daily go to the Kingsbridge - Riverdale communities. As previously stated Station 27 was being built in the Kingsbridge area, but they did have problems with the soil. So the station was never completed in the West Bronx.
Recently NYC dropped the EMS -911 contract with the former Our Lady of Mercy Hospital (Hospital Station # 28) now known as Montifiore Hospital - North Division. So FDNY had to add additional city EMS resources to the North East & North Central Bronx areas. These ambulances are responding from EMS Station # 15 on White Plains Rd at East 225 St. (Eng 63's former Qtrs) & also Station # 25 - Jacobi Hospital.
Since EMS ambulances are parked out on the street & not really quarted inside a structure like fire apparatus, does size of the building for EMS really count? EMS Station with a few modifications could possibly be used to house an engine, then yes establish a new engine co fo the area. Ladder 39 should remain where the are in 63's quarters. This new engine could resond on the first alarm into areas surrounding Jerome Ave & East Gun Hill Rd. & possibly into the areas covered by the joint response of Engines 79 & 62 besides heading East on 233 St into the Wakefield - Baychester areas. A new EMS station 27 should be located southwest of its present location.
Engine 38 & Ladder 51 are located near several key streets that permit them easy & fast travel through out their first alarm response areas. They could use a bridge over I-95 that will reduce their response times into the Co-op City City community. Engine 97 can accomodate a ladder company. This would reduce running for Ladders 32, 37, 38, 39, 41, 47, 50, 51, & 61.
Remember that the area is different that lets say Battalion 19's area. The 15th Batt area is made up mostly of private homes, some light manufacturing, commercial areas, besides a hospital, & many nursing homes. Apatrment homes are located along White Plains Rd & some of the other major streets. There are NYC Housing development through out the area & also the Co-op City residential community & Bay Plazza for a large scale commercial shopping mall & business area. Roadways inculde I-95, Bronx River Pkwy & the Hutchinson River Parkway.
Remember that this area was part of Westchester County & was annexed into the Bronx. It does not have the same number of fire companies in relations to the area that is below Fordham Rd.
Now about Mt. Vernon Fire Dept. Just recently Jim Gleason has assumned the role of Fire Commissioner. Comm. Gleason servered as Fire Commissioner in that community over 12 years ago for a good number of years & was noted for maintaining an outstanding relationship with NYC. The department has been down sized over the years from 7 stations into four stations. Today they have a man power situation & are forced to place one of their three ladder companies out of service when they do not have enough manning. They run a rescue & also have four or five engines. One of the engines was acting as a Squad for a while.
Like their neighbor, Yonkers, their manning does not match FDNY per unit. Remember, that the automatic mutual aid is a two-way street. FDNY would also have to respond into Mt. Vernon on the first alarm, thus increasing their work load. Just something to think about.
There are a few FDNY companies that could be moved, or should have been moved to prevent them from be closed down years ago. But no body wants their unit to be picked. NYC has not kept up with providing proper fire protection as the population has spread in any of its boroughs.
There is a nation standard that saids that Engine's first due area whould be 1 1/4 miles & the ladder about 2 1/2 miles. Please correction me if these figures are wrong. I am sorry to say that in a city like NYC, these milage figures will not work. By the way, L39 quaters was only 4/5 of a mile away from Eng 63 station. But what the map does not show is the hills! I would not want to drive that street on an icey day!
