Firefighter tests positive for drugs, fired

[WAS967 97]

Firefighter tests positive for drugs, fired

NY WILLIAM MURPHY

Staff Writer

November 1, 2004

A senior firefighter just short of becoming eligible for a lifetime pension

has been fired after testing positive for drugs, the Fire Department

confirmed yesterday.

Christopher Reinhard, 46, of Engine Co. 39 on the West Side of Manhattan,

had 19 years on the job, but was fired Friday after a random drug test, the

department said in a written order that became public yesterday.

The firing of Reinhard, a Little Neck resident, was the most dramatic

evidence to date of the impact of the department's random drug-testing

program, which began in August.

The first to be fired, in September, was a probationary firefighter who had

barely four months on the job.

But Reinhard loses an annual pension of at least $25,000, and possibly much

more with overtime and night differential pay included.

He was assigned to Engine Co. 39 on East 67th Street, a highly regarded unit

which was recognized in 2003 at the department's annual Medal Day

ceremonies.

The department said it has conducted 398 random tests since August and five

firefighters have tested positive. Charges are pending against the remaining

three.

The department expedited charges against Reinhard because he put in his

retirement papers in an attempt to save his pension, according to a

department official who asked not to be identified.

The department declined to comment on the matter. The Uniformed Firefighters

Association, the union which represents Reinhard, did not return a telephone

call for comment.

http://www.nynewsday.com/news/local/manhat...lines-manhattan

[WAS967 97]

This poor guy was weeks away from collecting his pension and retiring. Do you think this guy really deserves to loose his pension? Seems like the city worked REALLY hard to rip it away from him. Why not just let the guy retire. It's been done so many times before with diciplinary cases. Why not now? What do people think?

[WAS967 97]

Does FDNY allow members of service to come forward and admit drug use and get them treatment in order to help them or would they be fired if they came forward?

[Guest]

From what I understand, previously, if you admitted to having a problem it could be worked out so that you kept your job and got the help you needed. But it's been made abundantly clear to everyone workin for the Fire Department that it's not the case anymore. There is zero tolerance, which everyone scoffed at, at first, until these "poor guys" started getting fired left and right. They made their bed, they can sleep in it, its hard to have sympathy because unless you live under a rock, you have to know about these reoccuring incidents in which New York City firemen are getting busted.

This guy had almost 20 years on the job? He should know better. He's looked up to in the firehouse by every young guy that comes walking through the door. How can you be unofficial head of your company and a drug addict. Is that the guy you want backing you up or pulling you out? No thanks. I can't feel bad for him, but I do feel bad if he has a family that is going to have some tough times ahead of them. If you have a problem, get help before you get caught. Theres just no excuses in the city anymore.

[WAS967 97]

But how can you get help if this "zero tolerance" policy will get you fired when you seek treatment?

[Remember585 815]

"Do you think this guy really deserves to loose his pension?"

YES!

[Guest]

DITTO!!!!!! Finally we're starting to clean up the ranks!!!!

[tbendick 27]

If a FDNY member comes forward and requests help for a drug problem, they will not be fired. FDNY will send them for help. If I remember right in the past if you tested postive then they sent you for help. Now they no longer send you. It's the guy who continues to work and try and hide it placing everyone at risk.

[Guest pentax02839]

I think he should have been offered help.if he refused,then he should been fired.I understand there is zero tolernce for drug abuse. alot of private employers have that as policy.But they also offer help through e.a.p.Also does anyone have any information besides the newspaper.

[Guest]

This guy has been working for almost 20 years. He knows how the zero tolerance policy works. He knew what he would have to do in order to both get help AND keep his job. He chose to ignore that and try to sneak out before he got caught. When he felt the heat on him he tried to go out the back door and take a huge drop in his pension just so he could get something. This guy deserves no sympathy.

[BFD1054 1,552]

I gotta agree with Remember585 on this one! This guy is 46 years-old, he's a grown man & should know better! 19 years on the job and he threw it all away for drugs. He made a poor decision, which we all do at times, now he has to deal with it. Yes, it is unfortunate that he was soo close to retirement & yes they have made exceptions in the past, put there is now zero-tolerance & the City must stick to that policy.

When i worked for Westchester County, there was the Employee Assistance Program. This worked for people who had drug/alcohol problems and wanted help. If an employee reached out to the EAP, they would receive help and could keep their job. I'm not to sure though on how it would work if you failed a random drug test.

In this case, the firefighter knew that there was random drug testing among the FDNY, he shouldn't have been messing around with drugs, end of story. Does it suck to be him, yes! To work, and i mean work hard, for 19 years, for essentially nothing...thats sucks! Hopefully this will prove the FDNY & NYC aren't screwin around & maybe people will get their s**t together!

[WAS967 97]

It's easy for people who aren't addicts to say that the guy should have just come forward. Remember the first step in recovery: admitting you have a problem. It's harder than most people think. And in the wake of 9/11 I'm sure the number of FDNY/NYPD personell who fell into drug use increased greatly.

[Guest]

While they are having a tough time getting past the first step, they jeporadize the lives of everyone they work with. It's not like there hasn't been enough advance warning about how this is going to work, if you missed all the signs, newspaper ads, orders, its your fault.