NYC Firehouses in Critical Condition Require Immediate Renovations

Union officials warn that the city’s failure to adequately fund repairs may put firefighters at significant risk. Many FDNY firehouses, some over a century old, are in disrepair, with 23 buildings urgently needing nearly $81 million solely for roof repairs. These structures exhibit cracked ceilings, mold, foundation issues, and exposed asbestos, threatening staff safety.

One notable example, Squad 288 in Maspeth, Queens, built in 1913, faces sewage backups, broken support beams, and asbestos exposure. Firefighters have had to personally fund repairs, such as laying new cement flooring in the apparatus room to prevent injuries amid dangerous conditions. Repairs are expected to commence in the fall.

Queens hosts ten of the 23 compromised firehouses, including Fort Totten Park’s training site (built in 1906, requiring $15 million), EMS Station 45 in Woodside ($8 million), and Engine Co. 264 in Far Rockaway ($5 million). The situation inside stations is equally dire; inside Engine Co. 96 in the Bronx, a sinkhole is developing on the roof, and Union officials report leaky walls, mold, and asbestos dangers.

Support beams at Squad 288 are so deteriorated that the ceiling may collapse soon. An interior photograph shows support beams at risk, and the exterior displays widespread foundation cracking requiring extensive repairs. The union estimates the FDNY’s total facility repair needs at hundreds of millions of dollars, impacting everything from fire prevention to emergency response times.

FDNY officials state they are actively working on repairs, assuring the public that safety remains a priority. The department’s recent budget includes $940 million dedicated to facility improvements, but advocates argue that funding remains insufficient to restore these aging structures to safe working conditions.