Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Council: Safety comes second to owners' bottom lines

The City Council's Committee on Fire and Criminal Justice Services will vote tomorrow on a bill that would require the Department of Buildings to notify the fire department when major structural changes are made to city buildings.

Council Vote Set on Bill To Inform Fire Department of Building Changes

Ms. Brewer introduced the bill in the council last month; it originally required owners of large buildings to submit detailed floor plans to the fire department. But after a public hearing, the language of the bill changed, Ms. Brewer said, and it now requires only that the "flight" plan be provided.

The president of the Rent Stabilization Association, Frank Ricci, said forcing building owners to submit detailed floor plans is an unnecessary financial burden.


Hmmm...helping firefighters locate people during a fire and preventing deaths costs too much? Let's see why this bill was changed and who would sacrifice people's safety so that building owners and developers can save a few bucks:

RSA campaign contributions - city

RSA campaign contributions - state

Photo from NYC.gov

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

As long as the taxpayers don't mind financing the clean up,

the fire fighters don't mind risking their lives in unnecessary building collapses,

and the immigrant advocacy groups remain quiet as their unfortunate countrymen are bundled home in pieces, what is the problem here?

Anonymous said...

Once again....existing legislation favors the building/real estate industry of NYC.... and to hell with the safety of residents.

We only pay our taxes while the "industry" pays off the politicians in bundles!

i.e. Ask Melinda Katz for her opinion!
She seems to be taking the most in campaign contribution "pay-offfs"from her builder buddies!

Anonymous said...

Protect the lives of Firefighters? And spend private money to do it?

That's how firefighters show how brave they are? By requesting the building plans that would save their lives and prevent injuries?

Only sissies want to stay alive. Oh. Wait! Bloomberg has a little army of armed bodyguards all day, every day.

Now I understand. He's an important sissy. Firefighters are just "Little People". If they were so important, how come they're never invited to the Precious People's cocktail parties?

Oh. They ARE allowed in if there's an icky little fire and they don't get near any precious people.