Council Member Joann Ariola led FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore on a tour of Rockaway Peninsula firehouses to identify infrastructure problems. The tour covered Engine 329, Engine 266, and Engine 264/Engine 328 and Ladder 134. Issues included leaky roofs, collapsed ceilings, and possible mold infestations. The Central Avenue station, known as the “Big House,” showed flood damage with gaping holes in ceiling and wall areas. Photos indicated support braces in the basement, which Ariola said had been there for many years. The city allocated $5.2 million for facade restoration, roof repairs, and waterproofing across fiscal years 2026 and 2027, but Ariola said progress has been limited due to landmark delays. She also alleged scaffolding appeared last July without restorative work, and accused FDNY of placing it to claim progress.
"Council Member Joann Ariola led FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore on a tour of the Rockaway Peninsula Friday morning to point out a number of infrastructure issues at firehouses throughout the area, including leaky roofs, collapsed ceilings and possible mold infestations."
"The Central Avenue station - known as the "Big House" - showed significant signs of flood damage during the tour, including gaping holes in parts of the building's ceiling and walls. Members of the press were not permitted to access basements, upstairs areas or staff facilities such as kitchens during the tour, but photos shared with QNS showed a number of support braces in the Big House basement supporting the ground level."
"Ariola claimed firefighters had told her that the braces had been present in the station's basement for many years. The city has allocated $5.2 million in funding for facade restoration, roof repairs and waterproofing at the Big House across Fiscal Year 2026 and 2027, but Ariola claimed that little progress has been made, partly because the building has been landmarked, which she claims has led to delays."
"Ariola, the chair of the City Council's Committee on Fire and Emergency Management, further claimed that a solitary piece of scaffolding appeared on the side of the building last July, but alleged that no restorative work has taken place since. Ariola accused the Fire Department of erecting the scaffolding so it could claim it has started work on the building. The FDNY did not immediately respond to QNS' request for comment."
Read at QNS
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