UFOA Hotline Message
Hi, this is Al Hagan, President of the U F O A
Monday is the 23rd anniversary of the Happy Land Social Club Fire.
It?s also the 102nd anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire.
At just these two fires, a combined 233 people lost their lives to the ravages of smoke and flame.
This is a good time to reflect on the important role of the FDNY in the "public safety" matrix.
o Sometimes tragic fires are just accidental, sometimes they are the result of negligence (criminal or otherwise) and sometimes they are set intentionally.
? All of us in the fire service are waiting for terrorists to realize that unlike traceable bombs, gasoline is completely anonymous.
o Things haven?t changed much?.people still do not think of how vulnerable they are to having their lives annihilated by fire?not at least until the flames are licking at their souls
There is a misconception, fed by quaint stories, movies and plain old urban myth, that when firefighters are not at the scene of a fire or emergency, they are in the firehouse doing nothing.
That misconception has led many modern administrations to succumb to the temptation to reduce the level of fire protection not only here in NYC, but across the entire country.
Your family and friends need to understand that when firefighters are not at fires or emergencies they are busy:
o Busy, ?drilling? to maintain and improve the skills that will be used when fighting fires
o Busy, maintaining the apparatus, tools, equipment and the firehouse
o Busy, inspecting Bridges and Tunnels
o Busy, inspecting and maintaining every fire hydrant in New York City?and
o Busy, inspecting each and every building!
Cutting the level of fire protection any further is a form of civic insanity
Remember?. fire protection is the ultimate fire insurance
o Firefighters may not give you money to cover your loss, but they SAVE your building and YOUR LIFE!
