Citing Safety Issues, Mount Vernon Relocates Fire Station: Video

MOUNT VERNON, NY — Pointing to long-running structural and health concerns, Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard announced on Friday that the Oak Street Firehouse will be temporarily relocated.

The mayor said that operations at the Station 4 Firehouse will be moved until the city can make long overdue repairs. The firefighters and equipment will be immediately relocated to the Station 3 Firehouse until the city can establish a temporary Station 4 located near the Mount Vernon West MetroNorth train station. In the meantime, EMS crews will be staged at strategic locations to maintain rapid response times.

"The structural integrity of this building has been well-documented and compromised since 2008," Mayor Patterson-Howard said. "Where temporary fixes were installed at all, no significant repairs have been performed in the past 13 years. The health of our staff and the uninterrupted service to our residents is of paramount concern and our temporary solutions sufficiently address these challenges. The administration will continue to seek sufficient funding to fully renovate the firehouse."

A video supplied by city officials shows just how desperately needed those repairs are. Water damage, mold, holes in the ceiling, failing floors and temporary structural bracing installed more than a decade ago are visible on the footage of the city's oldest firehouse.

While Mount Vernon Fire Chief Robert Odindo called the need to temporarily relocate regrettable, the move was applauded by rank-and-file firefighters.

"The union was concerned about the stability and conditions of the firehouse along with the health problems it could cause the firefighters," Mount Vernon Fire Union President Kevin Holt said. "This temporary move will have a longterm effect on addressing our concerns."

Plans are underway to use a portion of the $3.5 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds set aside for capital projects to rehabilitate the station. A public hearing to finalize the proposal is scheduled for August 11.

Public and union officials agreed that the appropriate steps have been taken to make certain public safety will not be compromised while the station house is restored to more functional condition.

"Our priority is the safety of the firefighters of that firehouse, followed by the safety of the citizens that live in that area," Chief Odindo said. "I want to ensure residents that we have created a dynamic plan of action and there will be minimal impact to response times. I want to emphasize that the fire department will continue to have a presence in that area and will work to deliver services to the people of Mount Vernon. "