Council Bill to Require 45-Days' Notice For Ambulance Cutbacks

A bill in the City Council would require the Fire Commissioner to notify the relevant Council Member and Community Board 45 days in advance if the Fire Department plans to remove or significantly alter an ambulance tour.

Currently, the 45-day notification rule applies only to the closing or alteration of firefighting units.

The legislation was introduced after Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta proposed cutting 30 ambulance tours in addition to closing several fire companies in order to reduce his agency's budget.

The bill is supported by Local 3621 of District Council 37, which represents Emergency Medical Service officers, and was introduced by Brooklyn Councilmen Kendall Stewart and Bill de Blasio. A.P.