Current Events > FDNY: 1 In 5 Ambulances, Fire Companies could close when Vaccine Mandate starts

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https://gothamist.com/news/fdny-1-5-ambulances-fire-companies-could-be-offline-monday-nyc-workers-fight-vaccine-mandate

The head of the New York City Fire Department says staffing shortages could shutter up to 20% of firehouses next Monday, once the citys COVID-19 vaccine mandate goes into effect. FDNY Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro said he would also predict 20% fewer ambulances on the road. Nigro said FDNY is bracing for the potential shortages by canceling all vacation days starting November 1st, requiring people to work overtime and reassigning uniformed employees who typically work desk jobs back into the field at firehouses across the city. Municipal employees are required to get at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine by Friday at 5 p.m. and enforcement will start Monday morning. The department must manage the unfortunate fact that a portion of our workforce has refused to comply with a vaccine mandate for all city employees, Nigro said in an email statement to WNYC/Gothamist. We will use all means at our disposal, including mandatory overtime, mutual aid from other EMS providers and significant changes to the schedules of our members. We will ensure the continuity of operations and safety of all those we have sworn oaths to serve.

Ahead of last weeks announcement of the new mandate, FDNY had one of the lowest vaccination rates of any city agency -- with just 59% of its firefighters and 60% of its emergency medical service (EMS) workers vaccinated through October 15th. Some union officials have been railing against the new vaccine mandate for days, attempting to block its implementation with lawsuits and urging city officials to walk it back or postpone it. Union representatives for firefighters planned to rally outside Gracie Mansion on Thursday morning in a final call for Mayor Bill de Blasio to reconsider. Response times could double or triple. We have no idea whats going to happen. Fires are gonna grow. Heart attack victims -- were gonna be unable to reach in time. People stuck in elevators may be stuck in elevators for hours, warned Andrew Ansbro, the President of the Uniformed Firefighters Association. The basic services of the city are about to come to a near screeching halt.



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wtf they are threatening to not get to heart attack victims and other people who need help in time to end the vaccine mandate.

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Try hiring more people.


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I find it sad that the people who need to be vaccinated the most refuse to. This shouldn't be a political issue. It is a health issue.

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Umbreon posted...

Try hiring more people.

The problem is we are talking about fields that require lots of training. Even with more hires, it will be a while before they are trained.plus the loss of experience can't be replaced.

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It should be a felony carrying prison sentence to not be vaccinated as a current first responder OR if you were one at any point when the mandate was announced.

Also you should lose any and all pensions and benefits.

If anyone you were in contact on the job with contacts Covid you are assumed responsible and must pay reparations if you are not vaccinated.

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Everyone should be forcefully vaccinated. People who need it shouldnt be allowed to just quit to get away from their obligations to society.
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pikachupwnage posted...

It should be a felony carrying prison sentence to not be vaccinated as a current first responder OR if you were one at any point when the mandate was announced.

Also you should lose any and all pensions and benefits.

How do you feel about not returning grocery carts to returns?

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Govt employees should not question the mandate

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420TwiZtiD420 posted...

How do you feel about not returning grocery carts to returns?

Dick move In but generally warrants noting more then glares and maybe for the worst cases/repeat offenders some store penalties like revocation of reward cards, a ban or your picture being put on a wall of shame.

Government shouldn't be involved except in extreme cases like if someone keeps damaging with the carts or hitting people with the cart or something.

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Fire the anti-vaxxers and take away their pensions.

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Let's see how you "YAY MANDATES!" fuckers like it when there's no one to save your lives in an emergency.

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NOM posted...

Let's see how you "YAY MANDATES!" fuckers like it when there's no one to save your lives in an emergency.

Wow that's just petty. You arent looking good here.
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Captain_Qwark posted...

Firefighters usually are huge conspiracy nuts from my experience. All the volunteer ones I know are super weird people.

volunteer firefighters and paid firefighters that work from the municipal government are completely different personalities tho. Usually paid ones are better >_>

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NOM posted...

Let's see how you "YAY MANDATES!" fuckers like it when there's no one to save your lives in an emergency.

I would not like that very much. And I would continue to blame the selfish jackasses who refused to get the shot.

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They should arrest those union heads/chiefs telling them to not comply with sedition/insurection/incitement

Life in prison.

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MelbuFrahma4 posted...

wtf they are threatening to not get to heart attack victims and other people who need help in time to end the vaccine mandate.

This is nothing more than a variant of "think of the children!!"

pikachupwnage posted...

It should be a felony carrying prison sentence to not be vaccinated as a current first responder OR if you were one at any point when the mandate was announced.

Isn't the point of this that they're no longer first responders?

As a former EMS Lieutenant, this fucking sickens me. So many firefighters are absolute fucking morons, but shame on all the EMTs who refuse to get vaccinated. They should know better.

Tbqh though, I'm not entirely surprised. A huge percent of EMS in the FDNY are just people who want to be firefighters but didn't score high enough on the exam. There's a weird loophole where you can become an EMT for a certain number of years, and then transfer over to the fire side, so weirdly, a big chunk of their EMTs don't even want to be EMTs lol.

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I say we hire more immigrants to replace them.

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The city is in for a rudeeeeeee awakening the next couple of weeks.

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Where the fuck do all these chuddy ?block accounts come from anyway?

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MelbuFrahma4 posted...

wtf they are threatening to not get to heart attack victims and other people who need help in time to end the vaccine mandate.

@MelbuFrahma4

How did you get the impression that these union officials were threatening to not provide adequate emergency assistance? I got the impression that they are pointing out the reality that the ability for these workers to respond to these situations will be significantly reduced when losing such a significant portion of their staff.

Right or wrong that is the reality when so many workers still won't get vaccinated AND vaccine mandates are officially in place.

I'm all for people getting vaccinated and I think anyone who isn't vaccinated at this point is pretty foolish, but it is silly to act like there aren't possible negative side effects to vaccine mandates.

Of course, there's also negative effects from people not being vaccinated.

It's just complicated and it sounds like vaccine mandates can do some good, but they can also only do so much good.

Losing such a significant amount of the work force like that isn't good even if they're anti vaxxers.

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KStateKing17 posted...

I say we hire more immigrants to replace them.

Do yall really think its that easy? Especially after last year? Nobody wants to do any kind of first responder work anymore

ive had my vacc since March tho

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