NEW HAVEN, Conn. — The City of New Haven is moving forward with ensuring first responders and their families are safe, this comes after Mayor Justin Elicker expressed frustration with how Yale University responded to the city’s call for help amid the coronavirus pandemic.
During a virtual press briefing on Friday Mayor Elicker stated, “ I called the university last week and asked Yale University for dormitory space to house police officers and firefighters to keep them safe should their be any exposure or symptoms. Yale University said no.”
The University offered financial help.
“My response is this, if your house is burning down and you asked a neighbor if your kids can stay at your house and your neighbor says no, but here is a check to stay at the Econo Lodge across town what does that tell you about your neighbor? These times in crisis people are exposed for their true selves. Everyone needs to their part during this difficult time and writing check doesn’t exempt you from that fact,” said Mayor Elicker.
Saturday, Yale University told FOX61 News;
“We are eager to help New Haven with this need. We have been working to make this possible—and we agree that we should move as quickly as we can, in service of people doing extraordinary work on behalf of the New Haven community.
Toward that end, we will make 300 beds available by the end of this coming week to first responders and hospital personnel.
Furthermore, we have been working with first responders to make expedited COVID-19 testing in Yale laboratories available to responders who have been exposed to patients.
Additionally, on Thursday we announced a $5 million Yale Community for New Haven Fund to help address the consequences of the epidemic in New Haven.
Now more than ever, Yale and City Hall need to be on the same page. I know how committed all of us across the city and the university are to implementing an effective response to COVID-19, and I will do all I can to support this shared work.”
By that time, Mayor was seeking different options.
“I then called the University of New Haven and then called President Kaplan who in the first five minutes of the conversation said yes. We’ll make this happen. This is important for the community. Since then UNH has rolled out the red carpet for us they worked to quickly get students belonging out the dorm worked with us to deal with logistic and liability hurdles.”
For the meantime, Mayor Elicker says he plans on moving forward with the partnership with the University of New Haven, and has yet to decide on Yale’s offer.