Following a yearly tradition, Community Board 12 met on Tuesday with the New York City Fire, Sanitation and Police Departments, along with community organizations and elected officials, to go over plans in anticipation of the upcoming Pesach Holiday.

These meetings were started in part to avoid serious injury during Sreifes Chumets and to notify the community about the special sanitation pickup schedule and the bread burning and sanitation container locations.

“I would like to thank all the city agencies, organizations and elected officials for taking part in this important meeting. It is only because of their hard work and dedication that Erev Pesach has become a day that the community can safely practice their religious customs,” said Chairman Yidel Perlstein.

“Due to the unprecedented cooperation we have had in recent years between city agencies – particularly the Fire and Sanitation Departments – and the community, our system has been getting better and better each year. In fact, we have become the model that the entire city seeks to replicate,” said District Manager Barry Spitzer. “In recent years we have been able to avoid serious injuries and for that I’m thankful to the Fire Department, Police Department, Shomrim, Hatzolah and Chaveirim who serve a vital role in keeping everyone safe,” added Spitzer.

“In preparation for Pesach this year, we will have extra trash pick-ups, safe sites for biur chametz, and extra dumpsters for the disposal of garbage. As we prepare for the holiday, we are grateful for the support of the NYPD, FDNY, DSNY, Shomrim and Chaveirim. I thank them for the work they are doing to make sure the community is well-prepared and safe. I especially want to thank Community Board 12 Chair Yidel Perlstein and District Manager Berri Spitzer for taking the lead on these important projects,” said Council David Greenfield.

Leading the FDNY delegation was Brooklyn Borough Commander, Chief Wayne Cartwright along with 48 Battalion Chief Joseph Duggan, Division 8 Deputy Chief Brian Gorman and Captain Jack Halaby of Engine 282. Joining them from the Department of Sanitation was Assistant Chief Jack Ryan, Deputy Chief A. Puglese, Bk12 Superintendent Vincent Catania and Supervisor John Venditti and Deputy Chief of Enforcement Jerry Cerrai. Captain Kenneth Quick, Lieutenant Michael Andreano, Detective Mike Milici and Officer Thomas Kukla attended from the 66th Precinct. Also in attendance were representatives from the offices of Councilman David Greenfield, Councilman Brad Lander and Assemblyman Dov Hikind. Representing the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit was Senior Liaison Pinny Ringel. Representing the organizations who lead the planning and safety of the events was Bernie Gips Coordinator of Hatzolah, Yanky Daskal and Motty Katz Coordinators of Shomrim and Chaim Fleischer Coordinator of Chaveirim, who is also in-charge of site selection.

Following is some important information from the items that were discussed at the meeting:

Sanitation Pickup Schedule: Sanitation is already picking up bulk items until Erev Pesach on April 22nd. The Sanitation Department is asking everyone who has bulk items to start placing them out for collection as early as possible.

The entire district will get a recycling pickup on bedikas chumetz night. The recycling will be picked up Thursday night, April 21st, going into Friday morning, starting at 12:00 am till 8:00 am. Everyone should please put out their recycling on Thursday night. Additionally, 85 trucks are being brought in for the entire district to get a regular garbage pickup and that will start Friday morning at 6:00 am until 2:00 pm. The entire district will get picked up.

Sanitation Enforcement cautioned that all bulk items and cardboard boxes should be tied up and placed out neatly. All mattresses and box springs must be entirely wrapped, preferably in a store bought bed bug bag or in plastic. If a mattress or box spring is placed out without being wrapped, Sanitation will not collect them and a fine of $100 may be issued. Due to a law that went into effect on April 1, 2015, electronic items will not be picked up by the Sanitation Department and a $100 fine may be issued if put out. All electronic items should be brought to the local garage on 19th Avenue and 56th Street. For more information on electronics disposal you can visit nyc.gov/electronics or call the Community Board office. Apartment buildings with more than 10 units can enroll at nyc.gov/ecycle for free and convenient pickup service.

Try to leave driveways clear so that Sanitation workers can retrieve bulk and/or garbage quickly and efficiently. Please do not double park cars. At all times, regular garbage must be separated from recyclables and put out in proper fashion.

Sanitation will provide dumpsters at designated sites for additional garbage drop-off. A list of these container locations will be published shortly along with the burn sites.

As you are probably aware, due to the efforts of our Office and the local elected officials, a new sanitation pickup schedule is set to go into effect on April 4 to help alleviate the traffic problems in our District. Please be cautioned that the positive effects of these changes will not be felt until after Passover due to the enhanced pickup schedule, increased routes and extra trucks that are being brought in to help with the Passover collection and clean-up.

Bread Burning Schedule: Bread burning will occur on Friday, April 22nd. All bread burning must be completed by 11:34 am. For the safety of our community, the Fire Department will strictly enforce this 11:34 curfew.

As required, only Chumetz should be burned. Everyone is cautioned not to throw in any flammable or combustible items or chumetz enclosed in silver wrap. We also advise that no paint thinners, aerosol cans, sprays, lighter fluid or any other flammable liquids are to be used to ignite the fire and of course not thrown into it. These items have caused serious accidents in the past and are extremely dangerous. We have seen in previous years that people throw in all types of garbage into the fire. These items are not required to be burned. The Department of Sanitation provides dumpsters for this purpose and the community is asked to use them.

A complete list of approved fire sites will be published shortly. The fire sites will be supervised by volunteers of Community Board 12, Shomrim and Chaveirim; please follow the instructions of these volunteers. No other fires will be allowed. The Fire Department will extinguish any fires that are not on the approved list or are not being supervised by a volunteer from one of the above mentioned organizations.

Water or fire extinguishers should be readily available at the site of the bread burning.

Following these simple rules will insure the safety of our loved ones during this holiday as well as make collections easier and faster.

(YWN Desk – NYC)