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Following a yearly tradition, Community Board 12 met last week 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.

“Due to the unprecedented cooperation we have had in recent years between city agencies – in particular 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 the last years we have been able to avoid serious injuries and for that I’m thankful to the Fire Department, Shomrim and Hatzolah who serve a vital role in keeping everyone safe,” added Mr. Spitzer.

“I would like to thank all the city agencies, organizations and community leaders 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.

“Pesach preparation represents everything that is great about our community. We come together with the NYPD, FDNY, Shomrim and Chaveirim to make sure that the community is well prepared and safe. We will have extra trash pick-ups, safe sites for biur chametz and even extra dumpsters. 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 Battalion Chief Michael Steinman, 11th Division Deputy Chief Kevin Woods and FDNY Director of Community Affairs Febrico Caro. Joining them from DSNY was Deputy Chief Jack Ryan, Superintendent Joe Loughran and Chief of Enforcement Chris Klingler. Also in attendance were representatives from the offices of Councilmembers David Greenfield and Brad Lander, Assemblyman Dov Hikind, Senator Simcha Felder and Pinny Ringel from the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit. Deputy Inspector Michael Deddo, Sergeant Michael Andreano and Officer Joe Vitella attended from the 66th Precinct. Some of the community leaders and organizations that attended included, Rabbi Edgar Gluck, Rabbi Berish Freilich, Coordinator of Hatzolah, Bernie Gips, Coordinators of Shomrim, including Moishe Reichberg who oversees the entire operation and Coordinator of Chaveirim, Chaim Fleischer who is in charge of site selection. Mayer Weber, Chairman of Community Board 12’s Sanitation Committee, attended the meeting as well.

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

Sanitation Pickup Schedule: Sanitation is picking up bulk items starting now until Erev Pesach on April 3rd. The Sanitation Department is encouraging everyone with bulk items to start placing them out for collection as early as they can.

The entire district will get a recycling pickup on Erev Pesach, Friday, April 3rd. The recycling will be picked up Thursday night going into Friday morning starting at 12:00 am till 8:00 am. Everyone should please put out their recycling on Thursday night. Additionally, the district will get a regular garbage pickup and that will start Friday morning at 6:00 am until the entire district is picked up.

Sanitation Enforcement cautioned that all bulk items and cardboard boxes should be tied up and placed out neatly. Also, as the snow melted, debris that was underneath comes out and starts blowing around, so everyone is strongly encouraged to clean in front of their homes. 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 new law that went into effect on January 1st, electronic items will not be picked up by Sanitation. For more information on how to get rid of working or non-working electronics, go to nyc.gov/electronics or call the Community Board office to find a drop-off location. The local BK12 depot on 19th Avenue and 56th Street is also an available electronics drop off site. 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 containers at designated sites for additional garbage drop-off. A list of these container locations will be published a week before Pesach along with the burn sites.

Bread Burning Schedule: Bread burning will occur on Friday, April 3rd. All bread burning must be completed by 11:45 am. For the safety of our community, the Fire Department will strictly enforce this 11:45 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. These items have caused serious accidents in the past and are extremely dangerous.

A complete list of approved fire sites will be published a week before Pesach. No other fires will be allowed. The Fire Department will extinguish any fires that are not on the approved list. The fire sites will be supervised by volunteers of Community Board 12, Shomrim and Chaveirim; please follow the instructions of these volunteers.

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.