Int. No. 18
By Council Members Brannan, Menin, Louis and Yeger
A Local Law in relation to establishing a temporary task force to study and report on the maximum population that may be served by fire and emergency response services
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Definitions. For purposes of this local law, the following terms have the following meanings:
Firehouse. The term “firehouse” means any structure housing one or more engine companies, ladder companies, rescue companies, or other fire department response units, from which such units may be dispatched to respond to an emergency call.
EMS station. The term “EMS station” means any structure housing one or more ambulances or response units of the fire department’s emergency medical services, from which such ambulances or response units may be dispatched to respond to an emergency call.
§ 2. Interagency task force. a. There shall be an interagency task force to study and make a recommendation on the maximum population size that may be effectively served by an individual firehouse and the maximum population size that may be effectively served by an individual EMS station. The task force may also explore and make recommendations on related issues.
b. The task force shall consist of the following members:
1. The fire commissioner, or such commissioner’s designee, who shall serve as co-director of the task force;
2. The chair of the city planning commission, or such chair’s designee, who shall serve as co-director of the task force;
3. The commissioner of transportation, or such commissioner’s designee;
4. The Manhattan borough president, or such borough president’s designee;
5. The Brooklyn borough president, or such borough president’s designee;
6. The Bronx borough president, or such borough president’s designee;
7. The Queens borough president, or such borough president’s designee;
8. The Staten Island borough president, or such borough president’s designee;
9. One member appointed by the mayor;
10. One member appointed by the speaker of the council; and
11. One member appointed by the chair of the council’s committee on fire and emergency management.
c. The task force shall meet not less than quarterly.
d. Within 12 months of the effective date of this local law, the task force shall complete an evaluation of the number of persons who may be served effectively by an individual firehouse and, separately, the number of persons who may be served effectively by an individual EMS station. In addition to any other related issues as may be recommended by the task force, the task force shall evaluate whether each firehouse and each EMS station in operation on the date of the report required by this local law sufficiently serves such recommended number of persons, and shall identify which firehouses and EMS stations serve fewer persons than such recommended number, and which serve more. The task force shall also evaluate the impact of projected changes in population, zoning and traffic patterns on firehouses and EMS stations and their ongoing ability to serve such recommended number of persons.
e. The task force shall submit a report to the mayor and the council including its findings and recommendations within 15 months of the effective date of this local law. The task force shall dissolve upon submission of such report.
§ 3. This local law takes effect immediately.
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