Firefighters went to Albany last week to present their case.
ALBANY — FDNY firefighters who previously worked in the department’s Emergency Medical Services bureau are calling on Gov. Hochul and lawmakers to allow time spent serving on an ambulance to count towards their current pension and retirement.
Hundreds of firefighters gathered at the state Capitol on Thursday to push for a measure that would enable them to receive credit for time served as an emergency medical technician or paramedic prior to becoming a firefighter.
“We’re not asking for a new benefit, we’re asking you to fix a mistake, to restore something that never should have been lost in the first place,” said Andrew Ansbro, president of the FDNY Uniformed Firefighters Association.
Currently, more than 1,400 firefighters who previously served as EMTs are impacted by the issue.
While EMS workers are part of the FDNY, they have a different pension system than firefighters. That means those who are promoted to firefighter can’t count their time serving as EMTs or paramedics towards their retirement or pension.
Hochul vetoed a bill approved by the Legislature last year that would have addressed the issue and reversed changes made in 2009 impacting pensions, arguing the measure should be folded into the state budget.
The hopes of the FDNY Uniformed Firefighters Association were buoyed last month when Senate Democrats included a revamped version of the overhaul in their one-house budget proposal.
“These courageous men and women… risk their lives daily to protect our city and keep us safe,” Sen. Robert Jackson (D- Manhattan) told the crowd of cheering firefighters. “And yet they’re not receiving the recognition they deserve. It’s time to honor the life-saving work of NYC firefighters perform by counting the years they spent doing their job toward their pension.”
The long-sought measure has backing from both sides of the aisle. A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers joined the firefighters and union leaders Thursday to voice their support.
Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt (R- Lockport) was among those calling for the bill to included in the budget.
“It might take a couple of weeks before we have a budget… but when it’s there, this should be in there and we will have righted and corrected an injustice and a wrong on behalf of our heroes here in New York State,” Ortt said.
An off-duty EMT/firefighter was killed and a Mansfield police officer was injured early Saturday in a crash along a highway believed to have been caused by a driver under the influence.
Justin Sanders, 31, participating in a ride-along program, was in the passenger seat of the Ford F-150 operated by Mansfield Officer Michael Bryson. They were parked monitoring traffic when the crash occurred, ky3 reported.
A GMC Sierra crossed the center of the road, ran off the left side and struck the officer’s truck, according to the crash report from Missouri State Police.
Sanders was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:52 a.m. by Wright County Coroner Ben Hurtt. Bryson was transported to a hospital for treatment of serious injuries.
Kody Skaggs, 21, the driver of the Sierra, suffered minor injuries. He was arrested on pending charges of driving while intoxicated resulting in the death of another person, first-degree assault, careless and imprudent driving, and no seat belt, according to published reports.
More than a dozen ambulances were destroyed in a five-alarm fire Saturday morning on Long Island.
Freemont Fire Chief Scott Donnelly said crews found more than an automatic alarm sounding when they arrived about 11 a.m.
A worker at Emergency Ambulance Service told them there was an ambulance on fire about 200 feet into the building, according to a reporter with Long Island News 12.
There were multiple explosions from oxygen tanks and acetylene tanks.
Firefighters from across Nassau County responded to the Freeport blaze and quickly called for additional crews.
Four firefighters received minor injuries while operating to control the fire that was fanned by heavy wind.
NEW YORK — A New York City Fire Department chief who oversaw a fireboat involved in a fatal East River crash last year has been forced to turn in his retirement papers, court papers reveal.
Chief Richard Blatus was FDNY’s acting chief of operations at the time of the June 17, 2022, incident that took the life of Johnny Beernaert, a Belgian firefighter aboard the fireboat Marine 1 Bravo on a tour in the East River.
A month after the crash, Blatus was moved to another position. He eventually put in papers for his retirement, which sources said took formal effect Thursday.
A lawsuit filed by a group of FDNY chiefs and Daily News sources say Blatus, 63, was browbeaten into retirement by the Fire Department.
Blatus, 63, is not a plaintiff in the lawsuit by high-ranking chiefs who claim they were harassed, maligned and ultimately demoted because they were too old in Kavanagh’s eyes. But his retirement highlights tactics used to get older FDNY chiefs to retire, say sources and legal papers.
The lawsuit, filed March 23, also alleges that the nighttime fireboat joyride that took Beernaert’s life was initiated by a retired FDNY captain who “activated FDNY’s Marine 1 Bravo and took civilians on a ride without authorization.” The captain had retired from the department before the crash, sources said.
A source with knowledge of the case confirmed that the retired captain cajoled an active FDNY member to pilot the boat, but never asked anyone of a higher rank for permission to take the vessel out.
Beernaert, his wife, the retired FDNY captain and the captain’s wife were on a nighttime ride on the East River aboard Marine 1 Bravo when the fireboat collided with a charter boat, the Honcho, near Pier 11.
Beernaert suffered a head injury in the crash and died at Bellevue Hospital. His wife, Heidi Vermandel, was not injured.
The retired FDNY captain and his wife, who were also on the boat, weren’t harmed.
An FDNY source with knowledge of the case claims the FDNY boat pilot wasn’t to blame, as the bow of the charter boat hit the stern of the fireboat on the port side.
The department confirmed that an on-duty firefighter was piloting the boat and had passed all drug and alcohol tests.
After the crash, the FDNY dry-docked four Marine 1 Bravo fire officers — the firefighter who piloted the vessel, a lieutenant, a captain and a battalion chief — by pulling them from regular duties and giving them administrative jobs.
The firefighter, lieutenant and battalion chief were still anchored to their desks Friday, FDNY officials said. The captain had been moved to another unit.
No one has been disciplined as the FDNY awaits the results of an investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard has not responded to The News’ queries about the status of the probe.
A source with knowledge of the case said the department also wants to handle any lawsuits that come from the crash before meting out any punishment.
Before the crash, Blatus had questioned a few decisions by Kavanagh, who was acting fire commissioner from February 2022 until Mayor Eric Adams officially made her the first woman fire commissioner in the FDNY’s history in October.
In the two days after the crash — a Saturday and a Sunday — Blatus never received any calls from Kavanagh about investigative steps. That following Monday, June 20, he learned that Kavanagh had made inquiries and decisions on how to handle the crash without his input.
“A senior chief who participated in (Kavanagh’s) calls later told Chief Blatus that (she) “did not want (him) on the call,” the lawsuit reads. “Less than a month after Kavanagh’s clear mismanagement of the fatal boat crash, she summarily and unilaterally removed Chief Blatus from his position as Acting Chief of Operations.”
The FDNY’s chief of operations oversees the day-to-day work of 11,000 firefighters and fire officers, as well as dozens of chiefs, department officials said.
While Blatus was in charge of the Marine Unit and several other FDNY units at the time of the crash, he was “several people above” the chiefs who would have had hands-on knowledge about the investigation, a department source said. The FDNY’s Special Operations Command has direct control over the Marine Unit, which at the time was run by Chief John Esposito.
Kavanagh named Esposito as Blatus’ replacement a month after the crash.
That July, Blatus underwent surgery for a line-of-duty injury. He was on medical leave for five months when, for no legitimate reason, “the doctor informed (him) that his medical leave had been terminated” and he was being put back to work.
“Kavanagh ordered the removal from medical leave, trying to force Chief Blatus to retire so she could replace him with a younger chief,” the lawsuit reads. He was one of three chiefs who were summarily pulled from medical leave without an official or medical reason, the suit notes.
Blatus was also told to surrender his department-issued vehicle, another step in the department’s ongoing encouragement to get him to retire, the lawsuit states.
When Blatus finally decided to put in his papers, he was told that he wouldn’t be allowed to “bank” more than 1,000 hours of unused vacation time — the equivalent to 125 eight-hour days — and get the time as cash, which historically other chiefs have been allowed to do.
It was another intimidation tactic used to get him to leave, according to the lawsuit filed by chiefs Michael Gala, Joe Jardin and Michael Massucci.
Gala, Jardin and Assistant Chief Fred Schaaf were all demoted to deputy chief by Kavanagh in February. Their demotions sparked a mass protest by FDNY chiefs who criticized Kavanagh and asked to be demoted in rank and moved out of department headquarters.
Massucci also asked to be demoted and joined the suit after Kavanagh removed him as chief of personnel after he questioned some of her transfer decisions.
Massucci was ultimately transferred to the department’s tech services tool room in “an attempt to humiliate and disgrace me amongst my superiors, subordinates, coworkers and friends,” according to his request to be put back in the field.
Kavanagh hasn’t signed off on any of the demotion requests and asked the chiefs to hang on for three more months while she “rights the ship,” FDNY officials said.
The chiefs’ lawsuit, filed March 23, has been labeled by the FDNY as “baseless” and “just an attempt to undermine the authority of the Fire Commissioner.”
In the meantime, Edward Mattiace, the captain of the Honcho, filed paperwork asking a Brooklyn federal judge to clear him of any liability in Beernaert’s death.
According to court papers, Mattiace claims the FDNY boat’s pilot failed to follow safety rules by speeding, not having enough crew members or a proper look-out, and not having proper lighting or navigation equipment.
April 1, 2023 Concertgoers were attending a Morbid Angel concert when a storm blew through Belvidere, collapsing part of the the theater.
By: Jake Sheridan, Rosemary Sobol and Ariel Cheung Source: Chicago Tribune(TNS) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
One person has died and nearly 30 were injured during a roof collapse at a Belvidere venue during a metal concert Friday night, officials said.
Belvidere Police Chief Shane Woody said during a late Friday news conference that officers responded to the Apollo theatre, 104 N. State St., where the collapse occurred, leaving one person dead and at least 28 others injured.
The city is approximately 70 miles northwest of Chicago.
“Once we arrived, we conducted a search and rescue of patrons inside Apollo … sole responsibility was to get individuals outside the building,” Woody said.
Once emergency crews were outside, they tried to secure the scene, and escorted people away from the building as best they could, Woody said during the news conference.
“Chaos. Absolute chaos,” Woody said. “When first responders got there, they tried to control the chaos as best as possible. We tried to go in and save as many people as we possibly can and bring them to safety as best as we can.”
A staffer working at Rockford’s Saint Anthony Medical Center said they treated 12 patients, none of whom had died. The staffer said the victims were split among three hospitals.
Belvidere Mayor Clint Morris’ wife told the Tribune late Friday that he remained at the scene of the Apollo Theatre, Morris dropped everything to hustle over there when it happened.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Szjb_OJXMCQ
“He’s worried about the residents,” said the mayor’s wife, who asked to not be named.
The establishment was formerly a movie theater, she said.
Video showed people inside the venue desperately lifting debris from the area in front of the stage to free trapped concertgoers as lightning lit the sky showing through a partially collapsed roof.
Other video showed numerous fire and police vehicles outside the Apollo. The streets were littered in debris, and a large overhanging sign outside the venue’s entrance had fallen.
The town just east of Rockford in northeastern Illinois had been under a tornado warning until 8:30 p.m., the National Weather Service said. Radar indicated a tornado had formed in a large area that included the town, the NWS said.
Heavy metal bands Morbid Angel, Revocation and Skeletal Remains were set to play the venue Friday night, its website showed.
The show was canceled because of “a tornado that hit the Venue,” said a post to the band Morbid Angel’s Facebook page.
“We ask anyone who is still traveling to the venue to please seek shelter and stay safe. We are currently sheltering in place, and want to extend our support and hope that everyone at the show tonight is safe,” the band wrote. “Right now our focus is on making sure everyone in the venue tonight is OK and gets home.”
Local leaders shared their concern as the emergency developed.
“Praying for those involved in the Apollo Theatre incident and the Belvidere community. Please join me,” said state Rep. Maurice West of Rockford.
Fellow Rockford State Rep. Dave Vella, who represents Belvidere, warned of the collapses possible lasting impact.
“It seems they might be individuals hurt and in bad shape. I understand this might be hard for our community. Please pray for them and prepare with me to help those that need it. We are nothing if we don’t take care of our neighbors. Good luck and god bless to all,” he wrote on Facebook.
Lynn firefighters are battling a massive fire Friday afternoon.
Crews found the fire had engulfed two vehicles in the driveway as well as two homes on the road.
Downed electrical lines were also on the road, causing further issues, CBS reported.
Update City box 341 – 109 & 111 Chestnut St. Fire extended into the cockloft of both buildings. Orders of C-4 District Chief Lynch – Defensive operations.
Sometimes after a busy day, it’s hard to ignore your growling stomach.
No matter what, it’s time to grab a bite. And that’s just what two D.C. firefighters did last week.
Despite getting dispatched for a woman with chest pains, an ambulance crew stopped at Chick-fil-A first, according to WRC.
They were a mile away from the call and stopped because they had already ordered their food. One crew member wrote it was for ““literally a few minutes tops.”
They had been dispatched along with a medic to a medical office for a 57-year-old suffering chest pains.
The crew, according to a report obtained by the reporter, had busy day, were hungry, fatigued and wanted to stop for food.
Additionally, they wrote: “there was no delay in patient care or response.”
They were dispatched because they were closer than the medic unit. However, they arrived at the same time.
“Our response monitoring system captured an anomaly in the response of Ambulance 3,” a fire official said in a statement to the media.
The two involved have been placed on ‘no patient contact’ status as the department investigates.
The derailment last month of a train carrying hazardous materials has brought many things to light, especially that many firefighters lack training to deal to handle the issue.
U.S. Senators on the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee also learned during recent testimony that those emergency personnel also may have life-long issues after their exposure to the toxic soup, according to CNN
None of the firefighters who responded to the Feb. 3 derailment in East Palestine had access to information about what chemicals were in those 11 overturned cars.
Ohio Western Reserve Fire Chief David Comstock told the lawmakers that the issues went far beyond not being able to use an app to glean information. The cars were “bunched up” and not in their normal order.
He said there has to be a better more efficient way to let firefighters know exactly what they’re dealing with.
The chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) agreed.
“People deserve to know what chemicals are moving through their communities and how to stay safe in an emergency, That includes responders who risk their lives for each of us every single day. They deserve to be prepared,” Jennifer Homendy told the panel.
Comstock explained that technology in some vehicles sends information to 9-1-1 dispatchers who relay it to responders.
“So en route to a motor vehicle accident, I know the car has flipped three times, airbags gone out, and it has information about that car – whether it’s an electric car, things I have to worry about,” he said adding that no details were sent to firefighters headed to the derailment.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine also told the group he is worried about the health of those who answered the call that night. t.
“They all need to be assessed. There needs to be established a baseline, and they need to be assured that in five years or 10 years, there’s still a place where they could go. We look to the railroad to establish that fund,” DeWine testified.
Gear worn by fire and rescue personnel was contaminated, the chief said.
“…I had three firefighters who were exposed. Their gear is contaminated. I can’t use it… That means I have three firefighters who are out of service for six months who can’t respond to auto accidents or structure fires,” he said explaining the time it takes to replace it.
The basic turnout gear isn’t designed to stand up to hazardous materials like the chemicals on the Norfolk Southern train. It requires hazmat suits, which can cost $15,000 each.
“It’s unrealistic for the federal government to provide that to every department, but we do need to look at a regional approach so we can call in those teams that can supplement what we’re trying to do.”
Hazmat technicians and firefighters from multiple departments managed to stop an uncontrolled reaction at a chemical plant Thursday afternoon.
Canisters used to store organic peroxide exploded at Nouryon Chemical Inc., according to WGRZ.
A drone was used to help guide emergency crews operating at the incident.
Olcott Asst. Chief Stephen Miller told the media the Niagara County HazMat team, the New York State Department of Environmental and Conservation, and the U.S. Coast Guard were called to help with any possible leaks or runoff.
He added that crews developed a plan to resolve the issue.
Newfane Town Supervisor John Syracuse said the facility has had several incidents over years.
