FDNY Reduces Engine Staffing

[x635 4,066]

FDNY Reduces Engine Staffing

Firehouse.com News

Wed, 12/02/2009 - 09:48

The FDNY plans to reduce staffing on 49 engine companies beginning today due to an increase in the firefighter absentee rate, according to a department press release.

The department says it is follwoing the Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA) labor contract that calls for the reduction if the overall absentee rate exceeds 7.5 percent annually.

http://www.firehouse.com/topics/top-headlines/fdny-reduces-engine-company-staffing

[FFLieu 70]

Notice how this typical Bloomberg BULLS**T comes out AFTER the election.

[16fire5 693]

We knew this was comming they have done this before and the staffing comes back when the numbers drop. The tough fact is that medical office is directing members with flu symptoms not to even show up to the medical office to prevent getting more members sick. So steps being taken because of H1N1 are driving up the medical leave rate. The other bad side to this is that FDNY minimum manning is only what they start the tour with. When medical leave occurs during the tour the 5th firefighter is detailed from engines to bring other engines and trucks up to minimum. With only 11 engine companies at 5 firefighter staffing and winter upon us a couple jobs will create a situation with ladder companies reduced to 4 firefighters for the remainder of the tour.

[FFLieu 70]

This is what I don't understand. And please bear with me, as in this respect, I'm just an average citizen. The FD, as well as the rest of the City, is so scared of H1N1 that it tells its staff not to bother coming to the medical unit if they are exhibiting flu-like symptoms. Not that I would have a whole lot of faith in the medical unit anyway (one of the quacks over there told my mom's friend's husband that he had a hernia; six months later, he was dead from cancer because his "hernia" was actually a tumor), but isn't it counter-productive not to have sick members come in for examination for a possible infection from something that is contagious before and after symptoms are shown? For instance, if I had H1N1 (or even the regular flu), I would be contagious for about three days before and after I was "sick," so I would end up potentially infecting my house mates first. So why not go to the doctor? If I am exhibiting flu-like symptoms, then chances are, there is more of an infected population than those whom I would encounter in the medical unit.

So sick fire fighters bang in, and rightfully so, and it drives the sick leave rate up to 0.3% more than the cutoff. But that only happened because the City said to do so. And now they want to use this as a way to change staffing. Someone wrote into the NY Daily News that it takes something like 50% longer for a 4-man engine to do their job as opposed to a 5-man engine. Now, I don't know how accurate that is, but I do have to say, all of these "numbers," "metrics," and "statistics" coming out of Mayor Doomberg's office are highly suspect. How can he unilaterally change engine staffing because of a perceived problem that only exists because department management mandated that it exist in the firstplace?

Between this and the "Charlie-Foxtrot" that is Unified Call Taking (as an aside, I called in an MVA last night on the Southbound Brucker Expressway at its split with the Throggs Neck Expressway and to my surprise, only one responding unit got to the correct location on the first try), how much more at risk does the dishonorable Michael R. Bloomberg want to put the public?

[ny10570 745]

Yeah Lieu, its pretty Fugazzied. Their doctors approve the S/L. Between MRSA and H1N1 they are incredibly liberal with sick leave with any potential infection. This isn't ff's abusing the system, which is what the 7.5% trigger is suppose to address. The screwed us on the EMS side too. 12 hour tour pilot program was scrapped based on S/L rates compared to last year. No comparison to other boroughs as a control.

[mfc2257 464]

Notice how this typical Bloomberg BULLS**T comes out AFTER the election.

Bloomie doesn't say take the man off the engine. He has a budget and hands it to FD brass. They decide what to do with it. Under the current situation, this is what they've come up with.

[M' Ave 1,466]

Bloomie doesn't say take the man off the engine. He has a budget and hands it to FD brass. They decide what to do with it. Under the current situation, this is what they've come up with.

You sir, are wrong. Bloomberg is a notorious micro-manager and when it comes to staffing and agency costs, he is KNEE DEEP!

We don't have any control over medical leave numbers. Someone calls in sick or goes sick/hurt at a fire, they see a FDNY doctor RIGHT AWAY. That doctor determines what their duty status is. The city and the FD have decided that a high fire load and flu season are a good reason to allow us to operate less-than-properly staffed.

The brass and the city love this. They have lumped EVERYONE into this medical leave % in order to reach the number that allows them to reduce our staffing. If you have cancer, you're counted as on medical leave. If you're out with 9/11 respiratory problems, you're counted. It's a B.S. numbers game and the firemen and citizens are the losers.

[ups2ooo 1]

I want don't understand about this situation is that at one time or another weren't the brass line firefighter? Don't they remember what its like to work understaffed?

[jack10562 414]

at one time or another weren't the brass line firefighter? Don't they remember what its like to work understaffed?

Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta and Mayor Michael Bloomberg NEVER answered an alarm in either of their civilian lives.

However, they are the ones who call the shots.

The operational Chief's hands are tied. They are told what is expected of them, or else....

[ny10570 745]

COD Cassano is appointed by the Commissioner. If he has the balls to speak up, he would be quickly cut down and removed. The S/L trigger is not automatic. Its at that point the city has the option to reduce staffing.

[mfc2257 464]

You sir, are wrong. Bloomberg is a notorious micro-manager and when it comes to staffing and agency costs, he is KNEE DEEP!

We don't have any control over medical leave numbers. Someone calls in sick or goes sick/hurt at a fire, they see a FDNY doctor RIGHT AWAY. That doctor determines what their duty status is. The city and the FD have decided that a high fire load and flu season are a good reason to allow us to operate less-than-properly staffed.

The brass and the city love this. They have lumped EVERYONE into this medical leave % in order to reach the number that allows them to reduce our staffing. If you have cancer, you're counted as on medical leave. If you're out with 9/11 respiratory problems, you're counted. It's a B.S. numbers game and the firemen and citizens are the losers.

if I'm wrong then I stand corrected.

[M' Ave 1,466]

if I'm wrong then I stand corrected.

Normally, you would not be incorrect. However, for one reason or another, fire department staffing is a hot issue for this mayor and he's keeping his approach very hands on.

[FFLieu 70]

There comes a point in time when the Mayor needs to back the hell off, especially when it comes to public safety. Part of the problem is that all of his millions went to his head and he forgot what it's like to be Joe Citizen. OK, fine, he was smart enough to build his business and made a lot of money in the process. But he started his life just like you and I; his parents were cut from the same middle-class cloth that he is trying to destroy. Good living, honest people are either being taxed to oblivion or their lives are being put at risk all for the simple reason that he couldn't give two steaming piles about anyone who isn't from the same eliteist ranks as he.

His "metrics" over the last 8 years have put the public at tremendous risk, particularly with respect to Fire and EMS issues. Between engine and truck staffing, the needless closing of fire houses, and the abomination that is UCT, people are dying and will continue to die, plain and simple.

His "statistics" with respect to the crime rate are fallacies. Murders are down. So what? Violent crime is up, no matter what he says. Statistics tracking arrests for Criminal Possession of a Weapon (which is considered a violent crime) alone indicate that this type of crime, or the propensity for same, is increasing. He continually touts the decrease in the murder rate, but conveniently forgets to mention the increase of incidents of assaults. These may not turn into murders at the rate that they used to, mainly because of the valiant efforts of people like us here; the very people that he hates with a passion and punishes with abhorrent salaries, endless micro-management, ridiculous paperwork, and staffing issues that are only problematic because he's too dumb to put the pencil down for two seconds and see the bigger picture.

And if what M'Ave said is true about how he's keeping his approach very "hands-on," City residents are F-ed.

[Goose 188]

Just out of curiosity, does the FDNY UFA contract define sick leave as it relates to this trigger number?

[M' Ave 1,466]

Just out of curiosity, does the FDNY UFA contract define sick leave as it relates to this trigger number?

It goes no further than to say that staffing can be reduced if sick leave reaches 7.5%. It's up to the job to determine what sick leave is. To benefit themselves, they include any uniformed member who is not classified as FULL DUTY to be part of the sick leave %. Someone else will have to clarify if LIGHT DUTY members count.

[Mac8146 61]

Members on light duty are not included in medical leave percent, they are working light duty due to fact the cannot perform full duty. The numbers are UFA members only on medical leave.

[antiquefirelt 994]

It goes no further than to say that staffing can be reduced if sick leave reaches 7.5%. It's up to the job to determine what sick leave is. To benefit themselves, they include any uniformed member who is not classified as FULL DUTY to be part of the sick leave %. Someone else will have to clarify if LIGHT DUTY members count.

Can your "light duty" members work on an engine or truck?

[M' Ave 1,466]

Can your "light duty" members work on an engine or truck?

No. Full Duty only.

[ny10570 745]

The city is not forced to reduce staffing at 7.5%. Members however are forced to stay home with any suspected MRSA or H1N1 infection. Members also must go and see dept doctors for all sick leave and LODI claims. So if FDNY's own doctors are confirming that firefighters are actually sick or injured how are they abusing the system?