I know that this board if for Howard Beach and not Broad Channel, but we are all residents of the same city. I am a volunteer firefighter in Broad Channel Queens and we need the help of all of the residents of NYC we can muster. Please read the following letter and lend your support. We are not asking for money we are asking for a simple phone call, letter or email that you can send to your local elected officials.
Thank you
Gregg
Fellow residents of Broad Channel, Howard Beach, and the Rockaways
Our department was formed in the early 1900s to combat the scourge of devastating fires that plagued our island community in this era. Fire was always a constant threat and due to our inherent isolation as an island community, it was imperative that we, as a town, have our own rescue system. In the same vein, we became an Ambulance Corp in the 1950’s so that our residents were assured timely first responders. We have been operating out of the same small building since our inception. Although we attempt to keep our current Firehouse in good repair, time and nature have taken a toll on this 100-year-old structure. It is in use 365 days a year and runs two fire engines, two ambulances and a rescue boat. Over the years, our community has risen around the firehouse and today we find ourselves in the middle of the community, on the main access road for the IND subway station, adjacent to the town’s two churches. Responding to emergencies from this congested area is difficult; we have to always be vigilant and cautious when moving emergency apparatus.
It has been our wish to relocate our headquarters and construct a new building suitable for our needs. In 1995 we were able to purchase a property where we would be able to build our new quarters. This new location would be removed from the congested center of town and located directly adjacent to Cross Bay Blvd thus providing a safer operating location. This new site is located on one of the highest points on our Island and would not be subject to tidal flooding that accompanies even minor storms.
Planning progressed, we decided that our facility should be made available to Federal, State, and City agencies during emergencies. The elevated construction site (FEMA requirement) and construction methods (Steel Framed) and its location besides Cross Bay Boulevard, the primary coastal evacuation route for the Rockaways, make this facility a natural Command and Staging area. We had operated from this location during the storms in the 90’s when our town was inundated.
Fundraising efforts were started and were quite successful. Unfortunately building costs estimates climbed faster that fundraising; our quest seemed to always be just out of reach.
We, as a community, were given wonderful news at our 100th Anniversary Dance in 2004. Congressman Weiner announced that he was pursuing legislation in Washington D.C. authorizing a one million dollar appropriation for the BCVFD building fund. This was great news and overwhelmingly welcomed by the residents of Broad Channel, who have largely funded our organization over the years. Some weeks later we learned that Senator Clinton had fulfilled a promise she had made in front of our firehouse earlier in the spring and also added another million-dollar line item to this bill. This bill became the SAFETY-LU 2005, Public Law 109-59 when President Bush signed it.
At this point, we began to fulfill our end of the obligations. We first had to research Federal Code 23. Then we had to contact the NY State DOT, where the funding would initially go. After meeting with state officials, we were informed that we would have to enlist the assistance of a "local" sponsor, in this case, an agency of the City of New York. The Mayor’s office was an integral part in securing this help. At first no agency would step up, then after meeting with Ms. Haeda Mihaltses, of the office of inter-agency affairs, the Department of Design and Construction stepped forward. A long and tedious process ensued, and after many meetings, and rising soft cost to our department, things started to come together this spring. Our hired consultant, Arnold Houser (Stantec), DDC representatives, Arthur Rosenberg, and State DOT representative Ed Marks all agreed that all we would need to complete this "Pass Through Contract" would be for the NY City DOT to submit the necessary forms to the State DOT so our project could get on the Transportation Improvement Project sheet. This would allow us to submit this job for bids and finally we could start construction.
Please be advised that our organization has been working on this project for many years. We have passed this project by the City Planning Commission, had our CEQUR and ULURP review completed, and State DEC review completed. The consultant we hired is very knowledgeable in DOT projects and has assisted in many local projects that were financed in part with Federal DOT monies, the Metropolitan Museum of Art as one.
We have followed all the guidelines, met all the demands and raised the matching funds as requested. We systematically followed all the steps that should have led to the fruition of this building. Congressman Weiner and Senator Clinton proposed and passed Public Law 109-59 through the Transportation Act, which recognized the safety hazards of our current location and designated funding for a new building site. Unfortunately, as we approach the final stages of this project, our project sponsor, the Department of Design and Construction, informed us that The NYCDOT, the agency who, by state regulations, has to file the physical application, refused to do so. We have been unable to ascertain the specific reasons for this rejection.
To receive such resistance from the City of New York, namely the DOT, is illogical. We will not ask the City for matching funds (the 20% required). We will pay all additional money. We only seek the assistance of the agencies that perform this type of paper work on a daily basis. All parties involved up to this date, City and our team, are quite baffled by the NYCDOT resistance to this project. All along, we were assured that submitting the application for the TIP would be no problem; the DDC and DOT work in conjunction all the time.
We have respectfully requested meetings with the Mayor’s office and officials of the NYCDOT to no avail. We receive no official response from City Hall.
We as a community should be very concerned as to why a project that makes such sense to not only our community, but also to the surrounding areas in the case of a major catastrophe, is not seen as a priority or, at the very least, viable and important. We must question why a project that would use Federal Monies to enhance emergency services is being turned down without meeting with the parties involved to discuss objections.
Our members have worked too hard, given up too much time, and have lost too much money, both personally and as an organization, to just walk away without a justifiable reason. We need your assistance. Please get involved, call your elected officials, Ask questions.
Don’t let City Hall treat your neighbors in this disgraceful manner.
Dan McIntyre, Chief
Broad Channel Volunteer Fire Department and Ambulance Corp.