Complaints about parked cars blocking fire hydrants have risen significantly since the pandemic, with over 134,000 calls made in 2023 alone. Critics cite the rise of bike lanes and a shortage of police officers as contributing factors to the surge in complaints. Queens City Council member Joann Ariola is advocating for stricter laws, proposing to raise fines from $115 to $1,000 for blocking hydrants and enabling citizens to report violations through video evidence. Recent fires linked to blocked hydrants prompted urgency in addressing this problem, emphasizing the critical impact on emergency response times.
"We have seen two fires in the past week that have resulted in fatalities where the firefighters were unable to access the closest fire hydrant to that fire."
"Every second counts when people's lives are at stake... a big deterrent will be harsher penalties and the ability to report violations."
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