for breaking news visit www.timesnewsweekly.com OCTOBER 15, 2015 • times 13 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com OCTOBER 15, 2015 • THE COURIER SUN 25 oped A LOOK BACK letters Salute to tranSit cop for anSwering the call I would like to at this time like to praise off-duty transit cop Christopher Canale, who came upon a burning school bus and rescued two people in Manorville. As he said when interviewed was that his first thought was that there could be children aboard the bus at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8. Christopher Canale jumped into action that day and did the brave thing to save others. He went above and beyond the call of duty which is quite commendable in order to save lives. He truly is a fine example of what our Finest is all about. Furthermore he has proven to be a great role model for all of us to follow. For when we see someone in trouble if we can we should act to help in some way. Now Commissioner Bill Bratton awarded him with the Challenge Coin given to cops for bravery and that is a very good thing to do. As a point of interest, Christopher Canale is assigned to Transit District 23 in Queens. I salute you, Officer Canale, for you have done good! Frederick R. Bedell Jr., Glen Oaks Village reader glad charter School leader won’t run for mayor Eva Moskowitz runs the largest and most publicized charter school network in New York City. Her “Success Academy” syndicate is among the finest the industry has to offer, according to those who disparage public education. For years, Moskowitz has been enthusiastically touted as a mayoral prospect by those who share the hateful views against public education and unionized educators that she first cultivated many years ago in the City Council. Recently she made an announcement that convulsed the city with anticlimax and relief. After having fueled speculation that she was going to unseat Mayor de Blasio and seizing every chance to fan the flames of gossip, she said that she would not contest Gracie Mansion after all. What happened to cancel her fantasy of leading the city? For many years she made clear her determination to take over City Hall and make it her own. She called it a “once-ina lifetime opportunity.” “Imagine if I ran and I won. One of my first conversations would be with Mike Mulgrew. Imagine how that conversation would go,” she said. Mulgrew is the United Federation of Teachers president who advocates not just for his members but for students and parents and the system itself. Is Moskowitz saying that she can’t see herself engaging in productive dialogue? Is she confessing that her own biases would be an insurmountable firewall to progress? Would she reject the public’s expressed confidence in our public schools? Would she recuse herself from negotiation and retreat from protecting a vital government service? Could she not overcome her own restrictive ideology, even for the sake of those who would have elected her? It’s just as well that she has backed off from her threat to lead the city. Ron Isaac, Fresh Meadows ViSit Queenscourier.com for more StorieS Winter fire safety season begins now BY CITY COUNCILWOMAN ELIZABETH CROWLEY The cold winter months are quickly approaching – a time when fire fatalities spike. Therefore, it is critical we take this time now in October, during National Fire Prevention month, to practice methods of fire safety and prevention. During the winter months, many New Yorkers utilize space heaters or heating blankets. Imagine an elderly neighbor plugs in their space heater, falls asleep, and awakens to find a faulty wire has left her in a room full of smoke, soon entering neighboring units and maybe even yours. Without the proper smoke alarm, affected persons are likely to succumb to smoke inhalation, the most common cause of death in residential fires. There are two types of smoke alarms readily available on the market: ionization and photoelectric alarms. The latter have been proven to warn occupants of the fire condition described above a half hour or more before an ionization alarm, which in most cases never goes off at all until flames erupt. Additionally, photoelectric alarms are significantly less susceptible to nuisance alarms caused by smoke from burned food and steam from a shower. More than 33 percent of New York City homes have broken or disabled smoke alarms, sometimes due to residents removing batteries from their alarms. The number one reason for this is nuisance alarms. This benefit of photoelectric alarms is undisputed and it is highly recommended to have photoelectric alarms near kitchens and bathrooms – both highnuisance areas. Despite these benefits, paired with the clear failings of ionization technology, New York City law provides that residential buildings be equipped with either ionization or photoelectric alarms. This runs contrary to the recommendations of numerous fire safety organizations, including the National Fire Protection Association, the agency the FDNY looks to for fire code adjustments, and the FDNY itself. No major fire safety organization recommends having only an ionization alarm, as so many New Yorkers do. Many express preferences for photoelectric or having both in residential quarters. A bill I sponsored, Introduction 56-A, which now has 38 co-sponsors, would require that there be at least one photoelectric smoke alarm in every apartment, house and residential occupancy in New York City. This is commonsense legislation, and with the City Council’s super-majority’s support, I hope to see it passed by the end of the year. Approximately 65 New Yorkers died of fire-related deaths each year over the last four years, and firefighters have sustained hundreds of injuries battling unforgiving flames. The number of fatalities is drastically fewer in other jurisdictions that require photoelectric alarms. Boston, for example, had only four deaths over a four-year period. As our city’s population grows, the FDNY is working harder than ever before to meet the volume of emergencies every day. Over the years, the department’s fire education and prevention has helped bring the number of fire-related deaths in New York City down significantly. But one preventable death is still one too many. Therefore, it is time to update the law, and more importantly, your home. a look Back How many of our readers remember enjoying a fine German dinner at Von Westerhagen’s Restaurant in Glendale? The eatery at the corner of Cooper Avenue and 71st Place in Glendale closed several years ago, but this photo shows the restaurant in a previous incarnation as Stephans Bar and Restaurant. Von Westerhagen’s succeeded Stephans in 1964 and built a reputation for serving fine German food such as homemade bratwurst. The restaurant closed its doors in 2010 and was replaced by another restaurant known as Edison Place, which serves fine American bistro food. We want you to share your historic photos of Queens with us! Send digital images by email to [email protected], or printed images by mail to A Look Back, c/o Queens Courier, 38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361. All mailed pictures will be carefully returned to you! timesnewsweekly.com
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