City fire officials are saying no to a proposal by Councilmember Daniel Dromm that would change the amount of space motorists must leave when parking near a fire hydrant.

The new bill, recently introduced by Dromm, would reduce the amount of space required when parking near a hydrant to 10 feet, down from the current 15 feet, thus creating up to 100,000 additional parking spaces across the five boroughs.

FDNY officials argued, “As it is, some people cheat on each side. We need that 30 feet to properly perform our duties.”

Dromm said current legislation was designed to allow firefighters to park directly in front of a hydrant, something they rarely do in an emergency.

He claimed firefighters are more likely to double-park in front of a hydrant to run a hose, making the 15-foot rule obsolete. Passing the 10-foot rule would give firefighters room to maneuver equipment and run water lines while giving New Yorkers more space to park their cars.

FDNY spokesperson Tom Long said the issue is not space, but accessibility. “Firefighters don’t park next to a hydrant, they need access to a hydrant to get water to the hose and into the fire. This is definitely a life-saving issue.”

–Liz Goff