Concrete bike barriers raise safety concerns for firefighters
Firefighters say the barriers can limit their ability to quickly and safely respond to emergencies, particularly when operating large ladder trucks used in rescues.
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Concrete barriers designed to protect bike lanes are creating dangerous obstacles for first responders, according to fire crews in the Bronx.
Firefighters say the barriers can limit their ability to quickly and safely respond to emergencies, particularly when operating large ladder trucks used in rescues.
During a fire last Sunday on East 174th Street, crews relied on a ladder truck to pull residents from a burning apartment building. Those trucks use stabilizing legs, known as “jacks,” that extend from the sides to keep the vehicle steady while ladders are raised.
However, firefighters said they were unable to fully deploy those stabilizers because of concrete bike lane barriers along Park Avenue.
“They help stabilize the fire truck so that when the aerial ladder goes up, the truck doesn’t tip over,” said Marc Dore, a Bronx trustee with the Uniformed Firefighters Association.
Dore said the barriers narrow roadways and make it harder for crews to properly position their trucks — an issue he says is happening across the city.
“They pulled six people off the fire escape at a very precarious angle,” Dore said. “The truck should be positioned a little bit further from the building so we can get a better angle.”
While firefighters have alternative methods to stabilize trucks, they say those options are less effective and could increase risk.
“If it did tip over, serious injury or death,” Dore said.
He emphasized they are not opposed to bike lanes but are calling for safer designs. Dore suggested replacing concrete barriers with more flexible materials that can bend or be moved to allow emergency access when needed.
“We’re not anti-bike lane,” he said. “We’re just saying these concrete barriers are a hindrance to our operations citywide.”
Firefighters say that when lives are on the line, having adequate space to operate can make all the difference.
