Firefighters working out of their Woodhaven-based firehouse will temporarily move to Richmond Hill while their base undergoes major renovations, an FDNY spokesman told the Queens Chronicle.FDNY Engine Co. 293, which provides emergency services for Richmond Hill and Woodhaven out of 89-40 87 St., will be overhauled starting early next year.
The firehouse was built in 1915 and is being updated so it can accommodate modern firefighting equipment.
There is no set timeline for how long the construction will take. The work is being done by Nassau County-based Fratello Construction Corp., which has rebuilt FDNY firehouses in the past.
During the time the repairs are taking place, firefighters from Engine 293, and their equipment. will be based out of Engine 294 “for temporary quarters,” the FDNY spokesman said. Engine 294, which provides services to parts of Woodhaven and Richmond Hill, is located at 101-02 Jamaica Ave., roughly a four-minute drive from Engine 293.
Both firehouses were slated for closure under Mayor Bloomberg 10 years ago as part of his proposal for cost-cutting measures, but were saved after the communities expressed outrage at the idea.