New York City firefighters have taken medical leave in protest of the city’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for municipal workers Monday. Roughly 2,000 of FDNY’s 11,000 firefighters are taking medical leave amid protests to the COVID-19 mandate, which is happening across the city.
Democratic New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office announced on Oct. 20 that the vaccine mandate applies to all public employees and does not provide for a test-out option. The unvaccinated firefighters and other city workers who have not taken the vaccine will face sanctions starting Monday.
Friday, an FDNY union protest drew hundreds to De Blasio’s residence, Gracie Mansion. The president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association, Andrew Ansbro said at the protest Friday that the FDNY has a “staffing shortage as it is.”
“If this company was out of service and one of you were to drop of a heart attack right now, if they were in service, they’d be here in a minute. If they were out of service, another firehouse in the area has to get here. Your response time to your heart attack is affected by this company being out of service. Our system is a web where we’re constantly picking up the slack for other companies, based on their responses,” Ansbro added.
Republican New York Rep. Nicole Malliotakis claimed Saturday that 26 FDNY stations had closed due to “Mayor de Blasio’s decision to lock unvaccinated firefighters out of work.”
However, Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro reportedly disputed Malliotakis’ claims and said that FDNY has not closed any stations and that firefighters taking medical leave were acting irresponsibly and should “return to work or risk the consequences of their actions.”
The department stated that it was prepared to close up to 20% of its fire companies and have 20% fewer ambulances in service while also adjusting schedules, canceling vacations, and looking to outside EMS providers to make up for expected staffing shortages.
The city reported Sunday that 80% of FDNY members and 75% of firefighters have received the COVID-19 vaccine.
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