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Posted July 11, 2007 EST
Firefighters' Video Will Attack Giuliani's Record
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United States (New York) -
In a video being released Wednesday, New York City firefighters and their families criticize former mayor Rudy Giuliani for his handling of the Sept. 11 attacks. Many firefighters have a history of animosity toward Giuliani, now a leading Republican presidential candidate.
They argue that Giuliani's administration failed to provide adequate radios for first responders at the World Trade Center. And they remain angry at his decision to speed removal of the enormous pile of rubble at Ground Zero, cutting back the size of the group searching for remains.
"He's not a leader. He is running on 9/11, and it's all a fallacy," Jim Riches, the father of a Sept. 11 victim and a deputy New York fire chief, says in the video.
The International Association of Fire Fighters produced the 13-minute video and is distributing it to its 280,000 members, to the media and online.
The video is due to be posted July 11, 2007 at 5 p.m. ET.
Watch Video at Rudy Giuliani - Urban Legend
Giuliani's campaign responded that the union leaders don't speak for rank-and-file. Late Tuesday, the campaign sent out a three-page summary of Giuliani's history of supporting firefighters.
"Firefighters across the country have no greater friend than Rudy Giuliani," said Howard Safir, who served as fire commissioner and later police commissioner under Giuliani.
"Those of us who have worked with Rudy Giuliani know he has always been a constant supporter of firefighters and first responders," Safir said in a statement issued by the campaign.
Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s Press Releases
“Firefighters across the country have no greater friend than Rudy Giuliani. Those of us who have worked with Rudy Giuliani know he has always been a strong and consistent supporter of firefighters and first responders. On September 11th and the days that followed Mayor Giuliani once again demonstrated his commitment to the safety and well being of our firefighters and his respect for their extraordinary courage and sacrifice.”
Howard Safir, Former FDNY Commissioner
Giuliani Improved Firefighters’ Health & Safety
Giuliani Secured $10 Million Of Bunker Gear For All Firefighters At Same Time Mayor Was Cutting The City’s Budget.
After a terrible fire killed two firefighters shortly after he took office, Mayor Giuliani directed the FDNY to purchase and outfit every firefighter with new, state-of the-art protective bunker gear. By the end of his first year in office, the City had distributed 11,300 sets of bunker gear at a cost of approximately $10 million. The new bunker gear resulted in a decrease of burn injuries by nearly 60% between 1994 and 1996.
(Norimitsu Onishi, “A Bittersweet Graduation As Fallen Firefighters Are Mourned,” The New York Times, 4/1/94; FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 16; Alison Mitchell, “Mayor's Bet: Safety Carries More Weight With Public,” The New York Times, 5/11/94)
The New Bunker Gear Helped Reduce Medical Leave Time From 9.7% In The Last Six Months Of 1993 To 7.6% In The Last Six Months Of 1994.
(Julio Laboy, “Sharp Drop In Overtime At Fire Dept.,” Newsday, 1/8/95)
Giuliani’s FDNY Provided Faster Relief And Health Support For Units Fire Scenes.
To reduce heat stress at the fire scene, FDNY provided relief units faster than had previously been done. Recuperation and Care units, equipped with ice, water, fruit drinks, cold towels and misting fans to provide relief and hydration at the fire scene, responded to numerous fires.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 17)
Giuliani Secured Purchase Of Thermal-Imaging Cameras For FDNY, Giving Firefighters Additional Abilities To “See” Fires Behind Walls And Locate Victims.
Giuliani Administration purchased thermal-imaging cameras for all FDNY Ladder Companies, allowing firefighters to see into smoke-filled spaces, locate victims more quickly, and detect hidden pockets of fires in walls and ceilings.
(Mayor’s State of the City Address, Jan 13, 2000; FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 9)
Giuliani’s FDNY Purchased Personal Alarms For All Firefighters, Aiding In Search And Rescue Of Downed Firefighters.
In 1998, FDNY purchased Personal Alert Safety System (PASS) alarms for all firefighters to assist in the search and rescue of immobile/unconscious firefighters. The PASS alarms are integrated with the self-contained breathing apparatus, activating the alarm any time the air pack was in use so that firefighters no longer had to worry about activating their PASS in the middle of a fire response.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 17)
Giuliani And FDNY Increased The Frequency Of Medical Exams For Firefighters From Once Every Three Years To Once Every 15 Months.
The new exams, tailored to the unique risk factors that firefighters face, are much more comprehensive and thorough.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 18)
Giuliani Provided Millions To Improve FDNY’s Infrastructure
Mayor Giuliani Significantly Increased Funding For FDNY Over His Eight Years In Office.
Capital spending for the Fire Department under the Giuliani administration rose to an average of $120 million a year for eight years. This was a substantial increase over the $21 million a year for four years spent by the previous administration.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, Pg 25)
FDNY Updated The Aging EMS Ambulance Fleet By Contracting For 400 New Ambulances Over A Five-Year Period.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 29 )
Mayor Giuliani Funded A $44 Million Renovation Of The Fire Academy On Randall’s Island, Including A Car Simulator And Burn Building, Turning The Academy Into The Premier Fire Training Facility In The Country.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, pp. 14-15)
Giuliani Increased FDNY’s Operational Capacity
Giuliani’s FDNY Established Special Operations Command Battalion To Oversee Role Of Specialized Units At Emergency Scenes.
FDNY established the Special Operations Command Battalion in 1998 to oversee the role of specialized units at incidents concerning hazardous materials, chemical/biological threats, confined space operations and high-angle rope rescue. The Special Operations Command Battalion is responsible for five Rescue Companies, seven Squad Companies, three Marine Units, and one Haz-Mat unit, as well as the Tactical Support, De-Watering, De-Con, and Recuperation and Care (RAC) units.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 9)
FDNY Increased Number Of Specially-Trained “Squad Companies” From Two To Seven During Giuliani’s Term As Mayor.
In 1998, FDNY designated five Engine Companies as Squad Companies, bringing the total number of squads under the Special Operations Command to seven. The Squad Companies, which had to undergo special training, can go into action as either an Engine or Ladder Company, and received intensive training in Ladder Company operations, Haz-Mat mitigation and decontamination procedures, as well as a variety of rescue skills.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 9)
Giuliani’s FDNY Created Auxiliary Rescue Craft Which Aided In Numerous Water Rescues.
Mayor Giuliani and the FDNY created and placed Auxiliary Rescue Craft in service within the Marine Division in 1996. These two firefighting/rescue boats patrol the waterways between May and October, and immediately accounted for many water rescues, which resulted in more craft being ordered by the FDNY.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 9)
Under Mayor Giuliani, The FDNY Increased Staffing From Four To Five Firefighters In 60 Engine Companies.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 10)
During Mayor Giuliani’s Tenure, One New Division And Two New Companies Were Added.
Engine Company 294 in Richmond Hill/Woodhaven, Queens was reopened; Ladder Company 133 in South Jamaica/St. Albans, Queens was established; and Division 13 in southeast Queens was established.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 9; Office Of Mayor Giuliani, Press Release, 1/31/97)
Related Stories:
Giuliani Faces Questions About Sept. 11
Giuliani Questioned Over 9/11 At New York Fundraiser
Protesters Criticze Giuliani In New York
They argue that Giuliani's administration failed to provide adequate radios for first responders at the World Trade Center. And they remain angry at his decision to speed removal of the enormous pile of rubble at Ground Zero, cutting back the size of the group searching for remains.
"He's not a leader. He is running on 9/11, and it's all a fallacy," Jim Riches, the father of a Sept. 11 victim and a deputy New York fire chief, says in the video.
The International Association of Fire Fighters produced the 13-minute video and is distributing it to its 280,000 members, to the media and online.
The video is due to be posted July 11, 2007 at 5 p.m. ET.
Watch Video at Rudy Giuliani - Urban Legend
Giuliani's campaign responded that the union leaders don't speak for rank-and-file. Late Tuesday, the campaign sent out a three-page summary of Giuliani's history of supporting firefighters.
"Firefighters across the country have no greater friend than Rudy Giuliani," said Howard Safir, who served as fire commissioner and later police commissioner under Giuliani.
"Those of us who have worked with Rudy Giuliani know he has always been a constant supporter of firefighters and first responders," Safir said in a statement issued by the campaign.
Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s Press Releases
“Firefighters across the country have no greater friend than Rudy Giuliani. Those of us who have worked with Rudy Giuliani know he has always been a strong and consistent supporter of firefighters and first responders. On September 11th and the days that followed Mayor Giuliani once again demonstrated his commitment to the safety and well being of our firefighters and his respect for their extraordinary courage and sacrifice.”
Howard Safir, Former FDNY Commissioner
Giuliani Improved Firefighters’ Health & Safety
Giuliani Secured $10 Million Of Bunker Gear For All Firefighters At Same Time Mayor Was Cutting The City’s Budget.
After a terrible fire killed two firefighters shortly after he took office, Mayor Giuliani directed the FDNY to purchase and outfit every firefighter with new, state-of the-art protective bunker gear. By the end of his first year in office, the City had distributed 11,300 sets of bunker gear at a cost of approximately $10 million. The new bunker gear resulted in a decrease of burn injuries by nearly 60% between 1994 and 1996.
(Norimitsu Onishi, “A Bittersweet Graduation As Fallen Firefighters Are Mourned,” The New York Times, 4/1/94; FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 16; Alison Mitchell, “Mayor's Bet: Safety Carries More Weight With Public,” The New York Times, 5/11/94)
The New Bunker Gear Helped Reduce Medical Leave Time From 9.7% In The Last Six Months Of 1993 To 7.6% In The Last Six Months Of 1994.
(Julio Laboy, “Sharp Drop In Overtime At Fire Dept.,” Newsday, 1/8/95)
Giuliani’s FDNY Provided Faster Relief And Health Support For Units Fire Scenes.
To reduce heat stress at the fire scene, FDNY provided relief units faster than had previously been done. Recuperation and Care units, equipped with ice, water, fruit drinks, cold towels and misting fans to provide relief and hydration at the fire scene, responded to numerous fires.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 17)
Giuliani Secured Purchase Of Thermal-Imaging Cameras For FDNY, Giving Firefighters Additional Abilities To “See” Fires Behind Walls And Locate Victims.
Giuliani Administration purchased thermal-imaging cameras for all FDNY Ladder Companies, allowing firefighters to see into smoke-filled spaces, locate victims more quickly, and detect hidden pockets of fires in walls and ceilings.
(Mayor’s State of the City Address, Jan 13, 2000; FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 9)
Giuliani’s FDNY Purchased Personal Alarms For All Firefighters, Aiding In Search And Rescue Of Downed Firefighters.
In 1998, FDNY purchased Personal Alert Safety System (PASS) alarms for all firefighters to assist in the search and rescue of immobile/unconscious firefighters. The PASS alarms are integrated with the self-contained breathing apparatus, activating the alarm any time the air pack was in use so that firefighters no longer had to worry about activating their PASS in the middle of a fire response.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 17)
Giuliani And FDNY Increased The Frequency Of Medical Exams For Firefighters From Once Every Three Years To Once Every 15 Months.
The new exams, tailored to the unique risk factors that firefighters face, are much more comprehensive and thorough.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 18)
Giuliani Provided Millions To Improve FDNY’s Infrastructure
Mayor Giuliani Significantly Increased Funding For FDNY Over His Eight Years In Office.
Capital spending for the Fire Department under the Giuliani administration rose to an average of $120 million a year for eight years. This was a substantial increase over the $21 million a year for four years spent by the previous administration.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, Pg 25)
FDNY Updated The Aging EMS Ambulance Fleet By Contracting For 400 New Ambulances Over A Five-Year Period.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 29 )
Mayor Giuliani Funded A $44 Million Renovation Of The Fire Academy On Randall’s Island, Including A Car Simulator And Burn Building, Turning The Academy Into The Premier Fire Training Facility In The Country.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, pp. 14-15)
Giuliani Increased FDNY’s Operational Capacity
Giuliani’s FDNY Established Special Operations Command Battalion To Oversee Role Of Specialized Units At Emergency Scenes.
FDNY established the Special Operations Command Battalion in 1998 to oversee the role of specialized units at incidents concerning hazardous materials, chemical/biological threats, confined space operations and high-angle rope rescue. The Special Operations Command Battalion is responsible for five Rescue Companies, seven Squad Companies, three Marine Units, and one Haz-Mat unit, as well as the Tactical Support, De-Watering, De-Con, and Recuperation and Care (RAC) units.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 9)
FDNY Increased Number Of Specially-Trained “Squad Companies” From Two To Seven During Giuliani’s Term As Mayor.
In 1998, FDNY designated five Engine Companies as Squad Companies, bringing the total number of squads under the Special Operations Command to seven. The Squad Companies, which had to undergo special training, can go into action as either an Engine or Ladder Company, and received intensive training in Ladder Company operations, Haz-Mat mitigation and decontamination procedures, as well as a variety of rescue skills.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 9)
Giuliani’s FDNY Created Auxiliary Rescue Craft Which Aided In Numerous Water Rescues.
Mayor Giuliani and the FDNY created and placed Auxiliary Rescue Craft in service within the Marine Division in 1996. These two firefighting/rescue boats patrol the waterways between May and October, and immediately accounted for many water rescues, which resulted in more craft being ordered by the FDNY.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 9)
Under Mayor Giuliani, The FDNY Increased Staffing From Four To Five Firefighters In 60 Engine Companies.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 10)
During Mayor Giuliani’s Tenure, One New Division And Two New Companies Were Added.
Engine Company 294 in Richmond Hill/Woodhaven, Queens was reopened; Ladder Company 133 in South Jamaica/St. Albans, Queens was established; and Division 13 in southeast Queens was established.
(FDNY, “With New York Firefighters,” 4th Issue, 2001, p. 9; Office Of Mayor Giuliani, Press Release, 1/31/97)
Related Stories:
Giuliani Faces Questions About Sept. 11
Giuliani Questioned Over 9/11 At New York Fundraiser
Protesters Criticze Giuliani In New York
Photos by IAFF
Written by Staff
