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New York City’s new Fire Commissioner, Laura Kavanagh, is really unpopular with her firefighters. They are so enraged that two big department chiefs stepped down in protest of her heavy handed ways. She had already demoted three fire officials. It’s no surprise that she got booed at a “promotion ceremony“.
New York City inflames firefighters
The New York Post couldn’t wait to circulate a video around. FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh was reportedly “on the receiving end of boos at a promotion ceremony Tuesday following the demotion of three top fire officials.”
Meanwhile, at the same event, “a fire official from Staten Island, who recently gave up his title in protest, was cheered.”
The video is going viral depicting as Kavanagh is announced at the beginning of the event. A “mix of applause and loud boos can be heard” from the crowd in Brooklyn, New York. Captain Andrew Brown had to settle the crowd, with a “quiet down, gentlemen.”
FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh was booed by the crowd following the demotions of 3 chiefs in the latest department shakeup. https://t.co/EsfhsiShwR pic.twitter.com/3zIbr1jn05
— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) February 8, 2023
The hostility stems, one source informs, from the demotion of three fire officials. Assistant Chief of Fire Prevention Joe Jardin, Assistant Chief of Operations Michael Gala and Assistant Chief of Operations Fred Schaaf were kicked downstairs allegedly for the “way they undermine their counterparts.”
Meanwhile, when Chief of Department John Hodgens was announced, he was applauded. “He stood and saluted the crowd.” He’s one of the martyrs who stepped down in solidarity.
The inside scoop around the New York Fire Department is that Kavanagh had “told deputy chiefs that she was tired of officials asking for promotions, department cars and other perks.” Let her do their jobs then. Nobody is standing up to take the open slots. Along with Hodgens, Chief of Operations John Esposito gave up his position. Kavanagh doesn’t seem to mind.
All hell breaks loose at FDNY as commish demotes chiefs https://t.co/70e9NOgKRx pic.twitter.com/4xHj72D43W
— New York Post (@nypost) February 6, 2023
Forward into the future
After the ceremony, Kavanagh told the press, “I’m picking a staff that’s going to lead us forward into the future and accomplish the goals for myself and the mayor, a staff that is going to serve what the members need every day.”
If she can find someone to take the job, that is. Fire fighters are a really tight-knit clan. New York City might not be able to find anyone willing to rush into burning buildings with angry underlings behind them.
Esposito wrote “a blistering letter” to Kavanagh, noting “he had been excluded” from the “decision-making process on serious issues affecting this department.” That wasn’t nice.
After FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh demoted Deputy Chiefs Fred Schaaf and Michael Gala and Assistant Chief Joseph Jardin over the weekend, two of the department’s top uniformed officials gave up their own positions in protest.https://t.co/UrH0tzk1RN
— NYC EMS Watch (@NYCEMSwatch) February 6, 2023
“These events have resulted in a serious breach of trust with my subordinate personnel. To ensure the chiefs, company officers and firefighters stay focused on the mission, I can no longer remain Chief of Operations.” The New York Fire Department is firmly behind him. Another chief is rumored to be considering joining the demotion party.
According to one New York City fire fighter, “this puts the department in turmoil. Who will make day-to-day decisions? The commissioner doesn’t know anything about fighting fires or personnel.”
He has another warning for Kavanagh. “She will also have a hard time replacing them. Firemen are a tight group. No one will want to take their job, and if someone is dumb enough to take the job, good luck getting people to work for them.“
