NYPD top cop visits homeless family shelter
BY BILL PARRY
Residence of the Saratoga
Family Residence in
Springfield Gardens had a
memorable surprise recently
when Police Commissioner
James O’Neill and Queens
Borough Fire Commander
Ed Baggott stopped by for
a few hours during the
shelter’s third-annual Family
Safety Event.
The block party features
carnival food and games, the
NYPD Community Affairs
Bureau’s mobile rock-climbing
wall, a dunk tank, a bouncy
house obstacle course, an
FDNY fire experience trailer
and face painting.
Bringing together the
NYPD, FDNY, families and
staff along with summertime
entertainment and family
safety tips is one way the
shelter, operated by Homes for
the Homeless, works to build
and sustain community for
the 255 families with children
who are temporarily residing
there. Informational booths
on the shelter’s free afterschool,
recreation, child care
and early education programs
were also set up so families
could learn more about the
resources that are available
to them.
“The clients and their
children all had a great
time,” Saratoga Assistant
Administrator for Security
Anthony Cesarano said,
adding he was thankful for
how the staff “all chipped
in to make Safety Day a
huge success.”
Fire safety and prevention
are the major topics during
Family Safety Day and young
residents had the chance to
learn important fire safety
tips from the FDNY’s Fire
Safety Education Unit.
Joshua, a 7-year-old
resident of the facility learned
the first steps of recognizing a
fire.
“When you hear the fire
alarm come on and when you
feel your door and it’s hot, then
you should know it’s a fire,”
he said.
Alenell, a 10-year-old
resident of the Saratoga
Family Residence said, “You
can’t play with matches.”
Police Commissioner James O’Neill and Queens Borough Fire Commander (l.) pay a visit to the
Saratoga Family Residence recently. Photo by Homes for the Homeless
The children were
especially eager to experience
the FDNY’s Fire Safety
Experience “Smoke House”
trailer, which simulates a
house fore and helps kids go
through the motions of how
to exit a house when there
are hot doors and smoke.
Cesarano said it was “a great
learning experience for
the children.”
Other popular attractions
included McGruff the Police
Crime Dog, who talked to
some of the children about
crime prevention, as well as
a game truck with a Nintendo
SwitchBoth the Police
Commissioner and the Fire
Commander interacted with
everyone at the event taking
time to speak with families
about safety and community.
“Thank you for Family
Safety Day. It’s really great,”
Saratoga resident Jova said.
“You have to teach the kids
about safety, about fire, and
everything. That’s how you
make it to the next day.”
Reach reporter Bill
Parry by email at bparry@
schnepsmedia.com or by phone
at (718) 260–4538.
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