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A group of city firefighters drove an FDNY truck from their Brooklyn firehouse to a New York state senator’s office and berated his staff over NYC’s vaccine mandate, fire officials confirm.
The six members of Ladder 113, who were on duty at the time, have been suspended and will face discipline, according to Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro.
“This is a highly inappropriate act by on-duty members of this Department who should only be concerned with responding to emergencies and helping New Yorkers and not harassing an elected official and his staff,” Nigro said.
The firefighters allegedly told staffers for State Senator Zellnor Myrie that they would have “blood on their hands” after the mandate forced unvaccinated workers to go out on unpaid leave next week, according to a fire spokesman.
They also remarked that if a fire broke out at Myrie’s home they wouldn’t respond to the call, according to the spokesman.
“I am outraged,” Myrie told NBC4, which first reported the shocking incident.
“One, that on duty officers who were supposed to be focused on keeping us safe and responding to emergencies would attempt to use their uniforms and their fire truck to intimidate my staff,” he said, adding, “and secondly, it is disturbing that they would approach a state elected official for a city mandate and would I think offer veiled threats about my own safety by asking where I live personally.”
The FDNY is planning to close as many as 20 percent of its fire companies as many in the department refuse to get vaccinated.
The deadline for city workers to get the jab was 5 p.m. Friday or be placed on unpaid leave starting Monday.
As of Thursday evening, 71% of the FDNY was vaccinated.
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