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GETTING HACKED OFF in Hackensack (FD Based EMS "Under Fire")
Of course you remember Hackensack (NJ) where Five (5) HFD Firefighters lost their lives
in the Line of Duty in the fire/collapse of a bow-string truss roof at the Hackensack Ford
auto dealership, 20+ years ago.
Yeah-and that's also the same place where their City Council passed a resolution this past
February that urged residents to FIGHT hard to STOP the implementation of a state bill that
would require retro FIRE sprinklers in multi-family occupancies 75' or taller.
And now, just last week, minutes after a Judge issued a temporary restraining order that
declares illegal Hackensack’s plan to dump their FD-based EMS & give it to Hackensack
University Medical Center, City Hall officials brazenly told the judge to essentially stuff it.
They will now just "declare an emergency" and turn the FD based EMS over to the hospital
anyway. Humph! City officials said by declaring their own self serving and self-defined
emergency, they can give out a contract without following the State law that calls for the
competitive bid process. Yep-that's an emergency all right.
Hackensack city hall dwellers apparently made this "bada-bing smokey back room...yo!!...
watch the back door Pauly!" sweet heart deal with the hospital last February. This was
done, because in exchange for the City Council’s approval of construction of a new cancer
center, the Hackensack UMC would have to take over EMS-away from the HFD. There was
no competitive bidding process involved and the city hall folks are giddy-glad to rid
themselves of having any more troublesome HFD employees than they have to have. 2
hours after the judge issued the TRO, City officials ordered the 8 HFD EMTs to not report
for their shifts this weekend. Well stated by Local 2081's watchful President John Linquito:
"What the judge wouldn't let in through the front door, they are doing through the back
door'".
The TRO request was filed by IAFF Local 2081-HFD FF's & EMT's, which represents the
members who were scheduled for termination at the end of their shift tonight (Sunday).
EMS was scheduled to be transferred from the Hackensack FD to the hospital on Monday
(tomorrow). But, the TRO orders the City not to transfer EMS. City Manager Steven Lo
Iacono, Mayor Michael Melfi and the City Council have repeatedly ignored vehement
opposition by taxpaying residents to this EMS plan. Now they are brazenly defying a court
order.
Ignore those who elect you...and then ignore those who judge you: Stupidity at it's best.
Of course you remember Hackensack (NJ) where Five (5) HFD Firefighters lost their lives
in the Line of Duty in the fire/collapse of a bow-string truss roof at the Hackensack Ford
auto dealership, 20+ years ago.
Yeah-and that's also the same place where their City Council passed a resolution this past
February that urged residents to FIGHT hard to STOP the implementation of a state bill that
would require retro FIRE sprinklers in multi-family occupancies 75' or taller.
And now, just last week, minutes after a Judge issued a temporary restraining order that
declares illegal Hackensack’s plan to dump their FD-based EMS & give it to Hackensack
University Medical Center, City Hall officials brazenly told the judge to essentially stuff it.
They will now just "declare an emergency" and turn the FD based EMS over to the hospital
anyway. Humph! City officials said by declaring their own self serving and self-defined
emergency, they can give out a contract without following the State law that calls for the
competitive bid process. Yep-that's an emergency all right.
Hackensack city hall dwellers apparently made this "bada-bing smokey back room...yo!!...
watch the back door Pauly!" sweet heart deal with the hospital last February. This was
done, because in exchange for the City Council’s approval of construction of a new cancer
center, the Hackensack UMC would have to take over EMS-away from the HFD. There was
no competitive bidding process involved and the city hall folks are giddy-glad to rid
themselves of having any more troublesome HFD employees than they have to have. 2
hours after the judge issued the TRO, City officials ordered the 8 HFD EMTs to not report
for their shifts this weekend. Well stated by Local 2081's watchful President John Linquito:
"What the judge wouldn't let in through the front door, they are doing through the back
door'".
The TRO request was filed by IAFF Local 2081-HFD FF's & EMT's, which represents the
members who were scheduled for termination at the end of their shift tonight (Sunday).
EMS was scheduled to be transferred from the Hackensack FD to the hospital on Monday
(tomorrow). But, the TRO orders the City not to transfer EMS. City Manager Steven Lo
Iacono, Mayor Michael Melfi and the City Council have repeatedly ignored vehement
opposition by taxpaying residents to this EMS plan. Now they are brazenly defying a court
order.
Ignore those who elect you...and then ignore those who judge you: Stupidity at it's best.