Sunday, March 29, 2026

A moment inside MERV 1

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

On Wednesday afternoon, there was a sizable FDNY response to a report of a fire on the SW corner of Avenue A and Fourth Street. 

Multiple fire trucks and emergency vehicles lined Avenue A and Fourth Street during the response, drawing a crowd of onlookers on a sunny spring afternoon. 

According to FDNY sources, facade work sparked a small fire involving a resident's AC unit. The blaze was quickly extinguished, with no injuries. There were reports of broken windows and water damage in several apartments. 

Among the responding units was MERV-1 (Major Emergency Response Vehicle), a large-scale ambulance typically deployed for mass-casualty incidents, building collapses or major fires. 
Per the FDNY, it serves as a mobile treatment unit capable of handling multiple patients on-site. 

Given the initial report of a high-alarm fire, MERV-1 was dispatched as a precaution. 

Once it was clear the situation was under control, I asked for a look inside — and a crew member was kind enough to give a quick tour.
As always, we appreciate the FDNY response — and it was much better to see MERV-1 parked than in use.

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