The FDNY will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the department Saturday with its first-ever citywide open house program.

K Webster will represent the Manhattan Borough President’s office presenting a Certificate for service at the Pitt Street Fire House: 

25 Pitt Street (and Delancey)  Manhattan NY, 10002

Saturday May 2, 2015

11:00AM – 1:00PM

Learn more about the FDNY’s life-saving work at one of countless open houses across Manhattan. You will be able to take a tour, pick-up fire safety education literature, learn more about careers in the FDNY, and meet their local firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs.

More than 200 firehouses and EMS Stations will open their doors to the public from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

“For a century and a half, FDNY members have risked their lives bravely protecting life and property in our city, an enduring commitment steeped in pride and tradition,” he said. “That tradition of service is devoted to the people of our great city, and we’re inviting them all – every New Yorker – to join us in this historic celebration. We want them to come and meet the men and women who serve them with selfless dedication.”

Throughout the day firefighters, paramedics and EMTs will be educating the public about fire and life safety, conducting demonstrations, discussing the department’s storied history and offering tours of FDNY apparatus (engines, ladders and ambulances).

The FDNY Foundation, members will be distributing more than 6,000 combination smoke/carbon monoxide alarms and information on careers available within the Department. They will also be giving away more than 100,000 items commemorating this historic year including fire safety coloring books, fire helmets for children, flashlights and magnets with messages promoting the anniversary.

Volunteers from the American Red Cross will also be on hand at all locations to schedule free smoke/carbon monoxide alarm installations.

To find the nearest location and time, visit NYC.gov/FDNY

The origins of the Fire Department of New York date back to 1648, but it wasn’t until May 2, 1865 that the modern-day FDNY was established with the creation of the Metropolitan Fire Department (MFD). The first professional unit, Engine Company 1, went into service later that year with horse-drawn engines and ladder trucks responding to fire calls.

For sheer expressiveness, no contemporary design could outdo the ornamental shield on certificates given to volunteer firefighters in the 18th century. It depicts a scene of pandemonium as two engine companies — perhaps competitors — battle a fire in one house at the expense of abutters that are being consumed in flames.

Channel 7 news and NYC.Gov website

Please donate to Nepal relief efforts:

Beyond Beijing Committee 

and/or

Hamro Nepal: International Benefit Concert

When was the last time you were at the garden?  It is full of the most glorious flowers of all kinds, and begs to be seen.  They are weeping for you to come and pay them a visit, to smell their delightful fragrance and gaze tenderly on their most inspiring array of colors and textures.

The bulb flower peak is right here this week, so we might as well have our little celebration of them this weekend.

Here is the poster if you want to forward to any of your friends.  If you would like to bring any refreshments for Sunday, please feel free.

Thank you and hope to see you there and then!!

Come Celebrate the 36th Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Festival !

Working Together As One

Sunday, May 3rd 11:00-4:00 in Chinatown
(Mott St., from Canal to Chatham Square)

Come spend the day with us, watching music and dance performances, learning about APA community organizations, making new friends, and having fun!
More details at www.capaonline.org, where you can register to participate.

Delicious Food!

Music and Dance Performances!

AAPI Community Organizations!

Performers!

The garden opens today with it’s first monthly meeting. All are welcome to learn more about the garden and meet some of the gardeners.

Every April, Senator Squadron hosts an annual Community Convention. It’s a chance for the entire district to come together and help set his priorities both in Albany and in our neighborhood for the year to come.

Sunday, April 12 at LES Prep High School on the Lower East Side (145 Stanton, between Norfolk and Suffolk) from 2-5 p.m.

RSVP here or by calling his office at 212-298-5565. 

From the Senator:

Last year, the community set priorities, and we got results! Here are just a few:

• Hurricane Sandy devastated Lower Manhattan, and you asked for measures to protect our community from future storms. I worked with the community to secure millions more in resiliency funding to strengthen Lower Manhattan, along with my colleagues and City Hall.

• After five years fighting to prevent school overcrowding, we finally passed my legislation into law requiring more accurate student population projections and more transparency when planning school construction.

• Following the closing of Long Island College Hospital, you wanted to ensure that hospitals wouldn’t be jeopardized in other neighborhoods under similar circumstances. That why I worked with my colleagues and community members to introduce the Local Input in Community Healthcare Act, to make sure the community has a voice when a hospital closure is threatened. 

• And after hearing your concerns and suggestions on traffic safety measures in the Lower East Side, I worked with CB3, the City, and local residents to make our streets safer.

Come and join our community to help set priorities that will focus my work in 2015. It’s urgent that you be part of the push to improve our neighborhoods and our State.

Daniel Squadron
New York State Senator
26th District

From the lodown:

Streetsblog:

“The plan, which would replace faded bike lanes with a protected bikeway alongside Sara D. Roosevelt Park, is receiving consideration now because the bumpy street is scheduled for milling and paving, offering an opportunity to refresh its layout. “We are looking to resurface the road this year, so we will come back to the community once a design is put together,” DOT Manhattan Liaison Colleen Chattergoon said at the transportation committee meeting.”

Once the design is in from DOT, the community will view the results and weigh in.  There are many seniors, housing for the deaf, children’s playgrounds, schools, etc. that will want to review the design to insure this works for elderly and youthful pedestrians, pedestrians with special needs, and bikers and cars and small businesses…

Read the article on the Stanton Street Building in SDR Park in the Lo-Down.

“Where the Parks Department sees a place to store stacks of pristine work gloves, rakes and other supplies, local activists envision a community center. Reconciling the two designs on a Stanton Street building within Sara D. Roosevelt Park remains as elusive now as 20 years ago….”

-story reported by Zach Williams.

Much thanks to the LoDown for their continued interest and thorough reporting in the park and it’s surroundings.