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QUEENS WEEKLY, AUGUST 11, 2019
O’Neill pays surprise visit to Queens 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 rockclimbing
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.”
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.
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
/schnepsmedia.com
