Tarrytown Mayor Apologizes For Remarks After Deaths

[Truck4 48]

Story from News 12.com (reprinted for members who are not Optimum/Cablevision customers)

http://www.news12.com/articleDetail.jsp?articleId=262990&position=1&news_type=news

(10/05/10) TARRYTOWN - "The mayor of Tarrytown is now apologizing for remarks he made after two volunteer village firefighters, one a DPW worker, died in a tragic Labor Day manhole accident.

Village officials had initially suggested that firefighter John Kelly and DPW worker Anthony Ruggiero did not follow proper protocol when they descended into a manhole to investigate a sewage blockage.

Last night, Mayor Drew Fixell went back on those statements, offering his apologies and saying that he believes Ruggiero may have had some training about operating in confined spaces, but wasn't sure that Kelly did.

Fixell added that an investigation into the incident is still being completed, and that the village is committed to making sure workers have the proper training to avoid tragic accidents like this one in the future."

[xfirefighter484x 234]

Story from News 12.com (reprinted for members who are not Optimum/Cablevision customers)

http://www.news12.com/articleDetail.jsp?articleId=262990&position=1&news_type=news

(10/05/10) TARRYTOWN - "The mayor of Tarrytown is now apologizing for remarks he made after two volunteer village firefighters, one a DPW worker, died in a tragic Labor Day manhole accident.

Village officials had initially suggested that firefighter John Kelly and DPW worker Anthony Ruggiero did not follow proper protocol when they descended into a manhole to investigate a sewage blockage.

Last night, Mayor Drew Fixell went back on those statements, offering his apologies and saying that he believes Ruggiero may have had some training about operating in confined spaces, but wasn't sure that Kelly did.

Fixell added that an investigation into the incident is still being completed, and that the village is committed to making sure workers have the proper training to avoid tragic accidents like this one in the future."

Unfortunately, you can't un-say something, once you've said it.

[FFLieu 70]

Yet another case of a politician having diarrhea of the mouth along with constipation of the brain. Tarrytown isn't that big of a place (comparitively speaking), so why couldn't the mayor reach out to the FD's training officer to inquire about the training he obviously knows so much about? Maybe next time there's a noxious smell in town, they should send the mayor down to investigate.

[Guest]

It is very unfortunate that this had to happen to such great people. Perhaps the mayors statements and/or beliefs were too soon but, his statements do not seem to be fictional. "Village officials had initially suggested that firefighter John Kelly and DPW worker Anthony Ruggiero did not follow proper protocol when they descended into a manhole to investigate a sewage blockage."

If proper protocol and training had been followed, this traumatic situation would have been avoided in the first place. I do not place blame directly on the individuals who lost their lives but the town for not training these men. If someone does not have proper training to fulfill an assignment on the job, it is up to that individual to tell the boss that they are not trained.

May these men rest in peace and I hope we can all learn from this.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

Unfortunately, you can't un-say something, once you've said it.

Agreed. Too little, too late. I hope our brothers, sisters and their residents in T-town remember this BS when they vote for Mayor again. Rest In Peace FF Kelly and FF Ruggiero.

Edited October 6, 2010 by bvfdjc316