[EZ here once again... this is a new and urgent matter - I'll update this post as I get more information]
The city is planning on reducing our fire protection coverage by moving the fire suppression equipment (fire trucks, etc.) out of Del Ray and into Potomac Yard. Although this move would not happen for a while, there is a vote on this soon and we need to voice our opposition to this. That the city wants to do this with very little citizen input is bad enough but what really makes me mad is the way they are pushing this through – they say that the Del Ray fire station won’t be closing (which is true) but they don’t mention their plans to move the fire suppression equipment over to Potomac Yard.
If a fire station doesn’t have any fire suppression equipment, how can you call it a fire station?
To further fan the flames (sorry, had to say it…) think about this logically: Potomac Yard will be all new construction built to modern building codes and they’ll even have sprinklers in the residential units. Contrast this with Del Ray, much of which was built in the early 1900’s when building/fire/safety codes were not quite what they are today. Where do you think there is/will be more of a need for fire suppression equipment? Yes, you guessed right – Del Ray.
Like I mentioned above, I’ll add/modify this as I get more information but I wanted to get this out to people ASAP!
Update: 21July07
ALEXANDRIA POTOMAC YARD FIRE STATION AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING TASK FORCE
will hold a meeting at 7:00 p.m., Mt Vernon Community School Cafeteria, 2601 Commonwealth Avenue. For more information contact Cameron Hall, 703.838-4600.
One thing the title of this meeting notice brings up is how the city is muddling the issues my mashing several items together – affordable housing, workforce housing, fire stations and equipment distribution. Each issue can and should be discussed on it’s own, not muddled together. For example, I support building a new fire station in Potomac Yard but I do not support reducing the equipment in the Del Ray fire station. Why do they need to move equipment from the existing fire station to the new station? Why not buy new equipment for a new station?
We’ll keep digging and working on informing you of what’s happening but it is important that you let the city know your views on this!
Update: 24July07 Here’s something that landed in my email box last night:
Residents of Del Ray and interested parties:
Official notice: This Tuesday, July 25, 2006, the Alexandria Potomac Yard Fire Station and Affordable Housing Task Force will hold a meeting at 7:00 p.m., at the Mt Vernon Community School Cafeteria, 2601 Commonwealth Avenue. For more information contact Cameron Hall, 703.838-4600.
DRCA perspective: We highly encourage Del Ray Citizens to attend these task force meetings, especially in light of the proposal under consideration to reduce fire services and eventually close the Windsor Avenue Fire Station and relocate all fire services to the proposed new Potomac Yard Fire Station. It is very important that public participation is a part of the decision making process, that the facts around the decision making are made known, and and that the feelings of the citizens are heard. We have been told that the decision must be made by September, so your participation this summer is crucial to the process. Thank you in advance.
Update: 26July07 If you’re on the Del Ray Citizen’s yahoo group, here’s a file just posted. I’ll post a summary when I have more time:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/delraycitizens/files/Windsor_Station_20060726.pdf