By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – A brand new fire house has opened in the city of Buffalo. The Fillmore Delavan station houses Engine 33. But Engine 24, which was located nearby, was closed as part of the major restructuring and consolidation of the fire department. But the fire commissioner warns against any further closings.
Engine 24 located on Leroy Avenue on the city's East Side has been decommissioned. The firehouse served the city for more than 100 years. It also housed Ladder 7. Ladder 7 has been relocated to the newly renovated Main Street fire house in the Central Park neighborhood. As for Engine 33 at Winslow and Kehr Streets, it's now stationed at new firehouse that was dedicated Monday.
Newly named Fire Commissioner Michael Lombardo says he doesn't want any more closings. He says the department has completed all the closings the consolidation recommendations by the previous city administration.
"It is to the point where I feel we can not go with anything less," Lombardo said. "It would be very hard for me to close any more companies. It would be very difficult."
It's difficult because the changes have impacted response times for fires and emergency calls. Lombardo says an emergency call last week at City Hall took firefighters six minutes to respond.
"That is long for us. We don't like that, but those are some of the things we have to deal with," Lombardo said. "So we still strive to hit that four minute response time. And we do, to a great degree, but as these closings come about, it has impacted our response time."
Plans are in the works for three more new firehouses -- at Genesee and Bailey, Bailey and Hewitt and in South Buffalo. Mayor Byron Brown says he trusts Lombardo's opinion. He says Lombardo is interested in revisiting the fire restructuring plan.
"It is something he would like to look at, and certainly we are going to be responsive to his recommendations," Brown said. "We will make sure fire service is efficient, cutting edge and state of the art."
But given the city's past fiscal crisis, Brown says fire service must remain within the city's financial means.