FDNY taking criminal action against drivers parked at hydrants

NEW YORK (WABC) -- They're on every street to keep you and your family safe. But some drivers are putting you and firefighters at risk.

"I don't know if it's a sense of entitlement or selfishness," said Kevin Woods, the FDNY Chief of Fire Operations.

It's no secret parking in New York City can be difficult. But the FDNY is finding more people are parking in front of hydrants when they rush to the scenes of fires.

"It comes down to every second counts," said Chief Woods.

When firefighters rushed to a fire at a Buddhist Temple in the Bronx last February, they found a car blocking the hydrant. Two people died.

They had to take the time to hook up and run longer water lines.

"People that park on those hydrants, they're putting the lives of everybody on that block in danger and they're also putting firefighters lives in danger as well," Chief Woods said.

It happened again a month later when an entire row of businesses went up in flames on Jerome Avenue. A driver parked their food truck in front of the hydrant.

"That was extremely frustrating," Chief Woods said.

It happened again in June, September, November, December and January.

Complaints made to 311 about the problem have increased by 157% over the past six years from 62,126 to 165,021 complaints. Some of the problem areas include portions of Queens and Brooklyn.

Instead of issuing parking tickets, last February they started issuing criminal summonses to the owners of cars parked in front of hydrants at the scene of fires.

"They have to go to criminal court in front of a judge and the judge will give the judgement," Chief Woods said.

They've issued 10 summonses so far with fines ranging from $2,500 to $4,000 each.

"We're hoping the punishment will help reduce the behavior," Chief Woods said.

But with two cases happening just last month, they say the message hasn't spread far enough yet.

Not only does parking in front of a hydrant take longer for firefighters to hook up their water lines, they have to double park next to the illegally parked car which blocks other rescue vehicles from getting to the scene.

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