Restler questions Kristoff on fifth firefighter and EMS parity costs

Not in a good way.

Tough act to follow.

I'll do my best.

Thank you to the chairs and congratulations, Commissioner.

Really excited to have you in this role and somebody who brings EMS expertise to the agency right now, I think, is urgently needed.

And I also just want to take a second to congratulate the promotion of my friend and most importantly, constituent, Jason Shelley, Deputy Commissioner, very well deserved.

He's been such an anchor in the fire department now for a decade plus.

We're really lucky to have him there.

So just a few questions.

I've been deeply concerned by the fires that we've been seeing across our city.

I know we've had a concentration of them in the Bronx that have been fatal, and it's terribly scary.

And grateful for all the work that the members of FDNY do every day to keep us safe.

But also want to make sure that we're smartly investing resources that can make the greatest difference to prevent fires from taking lives and ruining property.

So just to confirm, Chief, I believe...

I heard in your testimony that we've got 20 engines right now that have a fifth firefighter that are deployed.

Yes, there are 20 engines.

And there's no data that we have whatsoever to show that a fifth firefighter improves or doesn't improve outcomes one way or the other, response times?

No?

Just to confirm, this is what you testified to earlier, I just want to get this clear.

Not response times, but we know that they stretch and operate hose lines.

They stretch and operate hose lines quicker, but no impact on getting fires under control faster with the fifth person or not.

We have no data to back this up.

I mean, other than your anecdotal expertise.

Because we don't have that many five firefighter engines to see that.

We have 20, but understood, if there's no data, there's no data.

What would the cost be, Deputy Commissioner Kristof, to adding a fifth firefighter citywide?

So we are currently in conversations with OMB on that point.

But it's an estimate that you should be able to come up with pretty directly.

Could you give us a ballpark?

We would defer to the budget director, who I believe is testifying.

You can't give us an estimate of what it would cost?

We know how many firehouses there are.

We know how many engines there are.

There's nobody, right, adding a fifth firefighter.

What would that cost us?

Ballpark.

I think that the council has cost estimates that are not out of line with the order of magnitude.

What are those estimates that the council has said?

Could you get those to us just for the purpose of the conversation?

What are the council's cost estimates?

We can follow up.

No, come on.

We're at a hearing.

We're asking basic questions.

You know the answers to them.

You should share them on the record.

What are the council's cost estimates?

I'm not even asking you to give the cost estimate.

What's the cost estimate?

A council member has asked a direct question, and he deserves an answer.

So if you don't have it now, we have plenty of time to sit and wait, and then you can get that answer for him.

It is rude to sit there and not answer a direct question from an elected official

who came here today to represent his constituency, whether you like the question or not.

So let's work on getting that information for Councilmember Ressler.

I know you've signed up for a second round, Councilmember Ressler, but if you have other questions, please proceed.

Okay.

Councilmember Jay Sanchez.

I have lots of other questions to ask.

I just am waiting because I really do want an answer here.

But we'll come back to it on the second round.

Oh, sorry.

I'm sorry.

I don't mean to.

Go for it.