Albany Firefighters Release New Ad: Calling Ladder 1

When minutes matter, citywide emergency response times will increase without South End ladder company.

Albany, NY - Albany Firefighters Tuesday released a new web ad demonstrating the impact of eliminating Ladder 1 from the city’s South End fire station. Calling Ladder 1, which can be viewed at http://youtu.be/VwvU7gTnKzs, features a simulated emergency call in which Ladder 1, one of only four specialized apparatus of its type serving the city, has been taken out of service as proposed in Mayor Kathy Sheehan’s proposed 2015 budget.

“We want Albany’s residents and elected officials to get a clear vision of how the city would be impacted with the elimination of Ladder 1. This video demonstrates the devastating domino effect that Mayor Sheehan’s budget proposal would have on response times and public safety,” said Robert Powers, a 16-year veteran firefighter and president of the union representing Albany’s 232 firefighters.

The scenario portrayed in the union’s new ad reflects the vital role that Ladder 1 plays in keeping Albany resident safe. Last year, Ladder 1 responded to 2,601 emergency calls across Albany - totaling approximately 12% of all calls to the city’s Fire Department. In fact, Ladder 1 is the busiest fire company serving the South End and Port of Albany.

“Any claims that the elimination of Ladder 1 will not impact response times are simply false,” said Powers. “The truth of the matter is that the elimination of any emergency response apparatus, puts everybody at risk - city residents, workers, students, visitors and firefighters.”

Albany firefighters will attend this week’s town hall budget meetings at the John Bach Library, 455 New Scotland Avenue (Tuesday) and the John Howe Library, 105 Schuyler, in the South End neighborhood (Wednesday) as well as the Fire Department’s budget presentation before the Common Council.

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To learn more about the activities and actions of Albany’s Permanent Professional Firefighters Association – IAFF Local 2007, follow us on Twitter @AlbanyFFs and like our Facebook page.

To view Calling Ladder 1 and other recent videos from Albany’s firefighters, visit their YouTube page: http://bit.ly/AlbFFYouTube