NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — The head of the FDNY firefighter’s union on Wednesday expressed concerns regarding staffing shortages after Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that New York City will require all municipal workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Andrew Ansbro, president of the Uniformed Firefighter Association, said 55% of firefighters in New York City are vaccinated, but he fears that number will not increase even with the mandate.
“I think two weeks from now, when the day comes, we may have some serious operational difficulties when firehouses have to get closed,” he said.
Ansbro predicts many firefighters will refuse the vaccine and will be unable to work in New York City – leaving residents and businesses vulnerable.
“They'll show up to the firehouses and the fire department is going to have to tell them to go home and leave the city unprotected because they tell them to leave the firehouse,” he said.
While Ansbro said he is pro-vaccine, he noted he is pro-choice and promised that there will be a legal challenge to the mandate.
James McCarthy, president of the FDNY officers union, noted that 72% of its members are already vaccinated, but will partake in the legal efforts to negotiate the conditions of the mandate.
“We're going to litigate it and one of the positions is that we should negotiate the implementation of this mandate,” he said.
FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro heard their concerns, but said Wednesday that he thinks most members of the department will ultimately take the shot.
“I think our members will step forward and do what they have to do to serve the public,” he said.
Nigro added that he thinks taking the shot is the right thing to do.
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