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QB042016

APRIL 2016 • Volume 12 • Issue 04 Downtown Jamaica, Ready For Small Businesses 3 The most talked about community for development right now is Downtown Jamaica, and why not? The AirTrain continues to gain popularity, bringing people to and from JFK Airport with a record 6.5 million riders in 2014, and with the variety of bus and subway services already in place, it is easy to get to. But to ensure we see the full revitalization of Jamaica, we need to create reasons for people to visit and small businesses to hire. In addition to the many cultural and business institutions already here, many exciting projects are already taking place that will serve as anchor tenants for small businesses. In 2017, a brand new Hilton Garden Inn will be complete on Sutphin Boulevard and 94th Avenue, which will accommodate those working at JFK Airport, tourists and those flying in for business. Then there’s the 100,000 square feet of retail and community facilities taking shape on the corner of Archer Avenue and Sutphin Boulevard, where there will also be 580 apartments. Then of course there is the Jamaica Performing Arts Center, which continues to produce performances from around the world, attracting people to visit Jamaica from all over the City. Those three examples alone provide a base of support to give entrepreneurs the confidence they need to open up a new restaurant, retail or office space, to serve residents and visitors. Since first being elected into office, I have been working with Mayor Bill de Blasio and Borough President Melinda Katz on the Jamaica Now plan to ensure there is community input and that everyone benefits from these changes. Some of the items in the plan call for the redesign of storefronts and streets to look more accommodating, the connection of residents to quality jobs and to use York College as a place to breed new businesses through the State’s START-UP NY program. We have already seen results of this plan with a Starbucks and Burlington Coat Factory opening their doors, creating jobs and making the area a place to be. To ensure that jobs some of the developments are undertaking did not go to larger firms, my office hosted a Minority Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) Town Hall, with developers Bluestone and BRP and the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation. Eighty MWBE’s came to learn about what contracts were available for them to bid on, and we will be hosting more in the future. According to the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, there is currently a combined 117,017 square feet of available industrial and commercial space available in Downtown Jamaica and Southeast Queens looking for someone with an idea to take advantage of all the people working and living in the area. But for this realization to come true we all must continue to work together with small businesses, advocacy organizations like the Queens Chamber of Commerce and civic groups in Jamaica. These places are ripe for any entrepreneur eager to start a new business and ready to be part of these exciting new developments. I. Daneek Miller was elected to New York City Council in 2013 as the representative for District 27 which includes all or parts of St. Albans, Hollis, Cambria Heights, Queens Village, Addisleigh Park, Jamaica, and Springfield Gardens. He is currently Chair of the Committee on Civil Service & Labor and a member of the Transportation, Finance, Economic Development, and Contract Committees. Reduce EMS Response Times The City’s delivery of emergency medical services (EMS) directly affects the health and well-being of all New Yorkers. No matter where you live or how much money you make, when you or a loved one needs help and call 9-1-1, every second counts. How long is too long to wait for an ambulance?   In 2015, the average response time to a lifethreatening medical emergency was 9 minutes and 22 seconds, up 9 seconds from the previous year. In Queens, the number is worse, and residents more often than not waited more than 10 minutes for help in the most serious of medical emergencies.  It’s important to recognize that as the City’s population continues to grow, a greater demand is placed on our EMS. Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics, who are working harder than ever before, responded to over 1.6 million calls last year. Additionally, life-threatening medical emergencies increased by 17 percent. EMS personnel work every day often under strenuous conditions, and are expected to respond to more calls without the resources to match.   In order to ensure the Fire Department (FDNY) and EMS are operating efficiently, a level of transparency must be established when reporting on response times. For this reason, I introduced legislation (Int. 135) that would provide the City with more detailed data on how the FDNY responds to emergency 9-1-1 calls. The Department currently classifies emergency calls into one of nine categories, or segments, but does not report the response time for each individual segment. The FDNY only reports the response time for segment one calls individually, and then groups segments one through three. We do not know what classifies as a segment four through nine.   This bill would require the Department to report the response times to each of the remaining segments. If passed, this legislation would provide the necessary transparency in emergency response times, which can be used to identify what we need to save the lives of more New Yorkers.   However, there are additional ways to improve efficiency and address climbing response times. Currently, EMS ambulance units travel without GPS navigation, and EMTs rely on their general knowledge of the neighborhood or paper maps to get around. Also, in many cases, delays at hospitals and an inefficient dispatch policy cause delays. Addressing these issues could contribute to decreasing response times.   This month, the City Council begins budget hearings, in which we will evaluate the mayor’s management and proposals for the upcoming Fiscal Year. EMS resources must be a top priority. We owe it to all New Yorkers to reduce response times.    Council Member Elizabeth Crowley is the Chair of the City Council’s Committee on Fire and Criminal Justice Services


QB042016
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