Councilman Gentile Calls for Establishment of

Fire Emergency Number

CITY HALL?After errors related to the emergency 911 dispatch system of reporting fires ballooned last month, Councilman Vincent Gentile has requested that a bill be drafted to establish a separate number to facilitate the reporting of those incidents and expedite the FDNY’s response time.

Councilman Gentile called for a bill to be drafted in order to “establish a new 711 phone number for all calls related to fire emergencies that shall be answered and staffed by FDNY dispatchers.”

His request comes on the heels of a November 18 fire in Brooklyn. A father and two sons died in the blaze after the first two 911 calls from neighbors reporting the fire led firefighters to the wrong address, delaying their response time by more than a minute. That was the second incident that day in which firefighters were dispatched to an incorrect address.

In the original emergency dispatch system, discontinued in May 2009, the system was divided into three different agencies: FDNY, EMS and NYPD. The FDNY had five dispatch offices citywide – one in each borough. Now, they’re consolidated within a downtown Brooklyn location, and New York Police Department operators both receive and process information from callers reporting fires and other emergencies to the FDNY. The plan was modified two days after the fatal November 18 fire so that an FDNY dispatcher can be “conferenced” into a 911 conversation so that pertinent information won’t be overlooked.

“When it comes to fires in New York City, we’ve got to do everything we can to have fire companies on the scene as quickly as possible and not a minute later,” Councilman Gentile said. “We need that direct line from callers to FDNY dispatchers so that the right information gets to the right people not a moment too late.

“Fire dispatchers had an intimate knowledge of each borough’s streets and of what sort of equipment was needed for certain fire-related emergencies,” Councilman Gentile added. “Overlooking them as the valuable resource they are is a public safety risk.”

In testimony before the Council’s Fire and Criminal Justice Committee hearing Thursday afternoon, Uniformed Fire Officers Association President Captain Alexander Hagan endorsed the 711 proposal as a “long range solution” to the problems associated with the new Unified Call Taking system (UCT).

“We already have the 911 system for police calls, and during the eight years of the Bloomberg Administration, we have seen a 311 system successfully implemented, and now a 511 call number for transportation questions and answers,” Cpt. Hagan testified. “Frankly, the UFOA, although it sees the value of a call system that gives the caller the timetable for the next train out of town, feels a much higher priority should be placed on the safety of the people who live, work and visit our beautiful city.”

Dena Libner

Communications Director

Office of Councilman Vincent J. Gentile

District Office: 718-748-5200

Legislative Office: 212-788-7363

It’s nice to see the union officials backing the plan.

(btw, apologies for formatting problems on this page… the bayridgistan web-elf has struck again)

Holiday Safety Tips from 70th Precinct

Posted on: November 19, 2009

ShareThis

Deputy Inspector Ralph Monteforte, Commanding Officer of the 70th Precinct, has asked CB14 to share the following tips with our residents for an enjoyable and safe holiday season:

• Be alert and aware of your surrounding at all times. Criminals often confront people who are distracted.
• Travel on populated, well-lit streets. If possible, travel with a friend or family member.
• When driving, keep your doors locked and windows closed. Make sure the gas tank is full and maintain your car in good working condition to avoid breakdowns.
• If you are taking the subway, look for the red and green lights outside the entrance. A red light means that you cannot enter the subway at that location. Look for an entrance with a green light before going down the stairs.
• If possible, stay in the view of the token booth while awaiting your train. Never walk near the edge of the platform.
• Plan your purchases in advance and carry only the amount of cash necessary to make the purchase. If you must carry a large sum of money, divide the cash between your purse, pockets and wallet.
• Record the numbers for each of the credit cards you own. This will facilitate the theft or loss of the card.
• Carry your purse close to your body. Place one end of the purse in the palm of your hand and the other in the bend of the elbow. Never carry a purse by the handle or wrap the strap around your body.
• Always lock your car. Before getting into your car, check the back seat to make sure no one is hiding.
• If you are carrying a wallet, carry it in the breast pocket of your jacket or in your side pants pocket.
• The rear pants pocket is one of the easiest to pick.
• When in a restaurant, don’t leave your handbag or packages unattended.
• If you must place your packages in your car, put them into the trunk and make sure the trunk is locked. Never leave packages in the passenger compartment unattended.
• Don’t wait until you have reached your front door to look for your keys. Have them ready in your hand. If a stranger is standing near your door, it may be a good idea not to go in until the situation is safer.
• Lock your front door immediately upon entering your home.
• If you live in apartment building don’t buzz in someone who rings your bell until you have verified who they are. This will help protect both yourself and your neighbors.
• Be wary of con artists. Con artists use a number of ploys to scam you and steal your property. Some divert your attention while another pick your pocket, some pose as utility workers or a tradesperson to gain access to your home, while others conduct scams that are more elaborate involving several con artists. As a consumer you should also be wary of illegal vendors selling goods on the street. Purchase merchandise from only licensed vendors or reputable stores. Follow your instincts and remember, “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is”.
• Don’t drink and drive.

Exposure to music helps children develop a life-long apprecaition for the arts. Music Adventures is an innovative program that encourages creative expression through music, dance and related arts.
Where:	Bay Ridge Library
When:	Friday, Dec 11 3:30 PM
Audience:	For Kids
	Events for Youth and Families are supported by The Hearst Foundation, Inc.

Below are some important tips from the NYPD on how to stay safe and what you can do if you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted on the subway:

• Do not be ashamed or afraid to report the offense to the police or an MTA employee immediately.
• During off hours, wait at the marked waiting areas on the station platforms and sit in the conductor’s car when the train arrives.
• Know your way around your subway stations: the locations of exits and where stairwells lead.
• If the sex offense happens on a crowded subway car, if you can do so safely, step away from the perpetrator and loudly let others know what the offender is doing.
• If you are in an empty car, leave the car and find one with more passengers.
• If you can do so safely, use your cell phone to take a photo of the perpetrator, or make a note of any distinctive features or items of clothing.
• If the perpetrator follows you off the train, call the police and stay in a crowded area.
• Remain alert and awake.

For more information about the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault, Right Rides and Girls for Gender Equity, please visit their websites at www.svfreenyc.org, www.rightrides.org, and www.ggenyc.org, respectively.

Enjoy this harrowing report from the Orlando Sentinel (soul-lessly linkjacked from the mudroch behemoth)

Some of the guns flooding New York City are coming from an illegal network tied to Florida and other Southern States, officials said this week.

Officials in New York made the announcement while displaying a cache of 56 firearms seized in a six-month undercover operation by NYPD and the Brooklyn DA’s Office, …

Authorities said Ryan Woodard, 22, was selling guns out of his girlfriend’s apartment in Brooklyn after hauling them to New York in a car he rented in Orlando.

Woodard bought many of his weapons at gun shows,

…Governor David Paterson’s approval rating is at a dreadful 20% among registered voters in New York State…

…Just 16% of voters statewide believe  the State Senate is doing either an excellent or good job in office, and nearly a majority — 48% — thinks the legislative body is performing poorly…

(editor’s note: we’d like to meet that 16% and ask them how much their making off our tax dollars)

…Only 13% of New York State voters approve of the job the Assembly is doing while 47% give the chamber poor marks…

Check out the results of their poll released on 11/23/2009 here or by visiting http://maristpoll.marist.edu/1123-voters-want-change-in-albany/.

One way to create some change is to vote

You can register to vote by clicking here or here. You can also do the slower routes (via phone, mail or in person) by checking out the details offered here from the new york state board of elections.

Where:
When:	Saturday, Dec 5 AT 4 PM
Audience:	For Adults
	Registration required. Call to register.

Bitov reads from his latest book “Prepodavatel’ simmetrii” (“The Symmetry Instructor”). A novelist, writer, geologist, Bitov was born in Leningrad in 1937. Bitov first became well known internationally through his novel Pushkin House. This program is presented in Russian. Please RSVP for tickets at 718-230-2222. Limit 2 per person.