Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta today announced plans to construct a new state-of-the-art EMS station at the former quarters of Ladder Company 39 in the Woodlawn section of the Bronx. Located at 243 East 233rd Street near the Bronx River Parkway, the facility will serve residents in the Bronx communities of Woodlawn, Riverdale and Kingsbridge, consolidating the work of six ambulances based out of three stations into a single facility. This will allow EMS members to significantly reduce their travel time and spend more in-service time in the communities they serve. The number of EMS stations, which has grown steadily over the past five years, currently stands at 29.

"The relocation of Ladder Company 39 has served the Bronx community well over the past year, and we are pleased travel times to emergencies have declined while the workload has increased," Mayor Bloomberg said. "Firefighters will continue serving residents from their new home, while a new station will be built for our EMS members who provide the most advanced pre-hospital medical care in the world."

"A top priority for the Fire Department is to provide the most effective emergency response in the most efficient manner," Commissioner Scoppetta said. "The relocation of Ladder Company 39 has allowed our firefighters to respond to more emergencies than ever before, and a new EMS facility will help our EMTs and Paramedics restock medical supplies so they can hit the streets faster and do what they do best - save lives."

In June 2006, firefighters from Ladder Company 39 were temporarily relocated to the quarters of Engine Company 63, located at 755 East 233rd Street, because of the structural deterioration of the century-old firehouse, the last wood frame firehouse in the City. 

Ladder Company 39's new home is less than seven-tenths of one mile away from its former location. From June 12, 2006 to June 11, 2007, Ladder Company 39's travel times to all structural fires dropped 55 seconds, from 4:51 to 3:56 when compared to the previous year, as did overall travel times, which decreased 27 seconds from 4:57 to 4:30. During the same period, travel time to structural fires in the Woodlawn section increased only slightly, from 4:12 to 4:17, while firefighters responded to more total emergencies, from 1,172 to 1,719. In Fiscal Year 2007, the citywide average travel time to structural fires for all ladder companies was 4:50.

At an estimated cost of $12.4 million, a new EMS facility at the 5,300-square-foot lot would include a Captain's office, a kitchen, training and equipment storage areas, a separate decontamination area, as well as locker facilities and bathrooms for up to 100 employees. The new station is expected to enhance EMS supervision in the field and relieve congestion in nearby EMS stations in the Bronx.

Since the 1996 merger of the Fire Department and EMS, the number of EMS facilities constructed by the City has nearly doubled, with nine stations built and opened since 2002. Including EMS Station 32 in Brooklyn which opened in November, there are currently 29 EMS stations and three outposts located throughout the five boroughs.