NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — The head of the city’s fire department slammed a “bogus” sickout among firefighters as staffing shortages have led to the closure of several fire companies this weekend.
Thousands of firefighters are dishonestly calling out sick as the city’s vaccine mandate approaches Monday, FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said.
"Irresponsible bogus sick leave by some of our members is creating a danger for New Yorkers and their fellow firefighters. They need to return to work or risk the consequences of their actions," Nigro said in a statement.
Nigro stressed no firehouses have closed due to the sickout, though several companies have gone out of service within firehouses around the city.
More than 2,000 FDNY firefighters have been out on medical leave over the past week.
FDNY unions denied Nigro’s accusations of a coordinated sick-leave protest in interviews to WABC7.
"We don't condone any job action, nor do we inform anybody to do a job action," said Jim McCarthy, president of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association.
Union reps told NBC New York many firefighters have taken time off due to vaccine side effects.
"Hundreds of guys are feeling flu-like symptoms because that’s what the shot does to people," union president Andrew Ansbro reportedly said.
FDNY members, as well as the rest of the city’s 160,000 municipal workers, had until 5 p.m. Friday to get their first shot of a COVID-19 to avoid being placed on unpaid leave Monday.
Like other agencies, the fire department saw a surge in last-minute vaccinations, increasing the agency’s vaccination rate to 72% by the Friday deadline.
Republican elected officials who are against the idea of a mandate are calling on de Blasio to roll back plans to enforce the rule Monday.
“Response time is incredibly important. And you have to make sure that these firehouses are fully staffed and that there’s backup available,” GOP Rep. Nicole Malliotakis told 1010 WINS.
“By cutting back on the number of employees, by closing companies within firehouses, you’re creating a staffing shortage that is going to impact response time,” Malliotakis added.
Tens of thousands of city employees failed to get their shots by Friday afternoon. But de Blasio has remained positive — noting Sunday that another 2,300 city workers got vaccinated on Saturday.
“91% of City workers are now vaccinated. 2,300 more workers got the shot today alone,” de Blasio tweeted. “They’re delivering for their communities every day, and we’re not done yet.”
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