![]() ![]() “This is another unfortunate attempt to spread baseless rumors to undermine the reputation of the greatest Fire Department in the world,” FDNY spokeswoman Amanda Farinacci said in a written statement. Between those who have been demoted and those out on medical leave, there are only seven active staff chiefs citywide, sources said. There are 23 staff chiefs in the entire FDNY, including several on medical leave. Kavanagh hasn’t signed off on any of the demotion requests and has asked everyone to stay on as she fine tunes her leadership team. In response, seven other staff chiefs, including Massucci, FDNY Chief of Department John Hodgens and Chief of Fire Operations John Esposito, have asked to be demoted to deputy chief and moved back into the field. She was said to have wanted “out-of-the-box thinking” from the chiefs but was peppered with requests about overtime and department-issued take-home cars, according to a recording of the gathering shared with The News. Kavanagh also complained that her staff chiefs hadn’t brought her any new ideas about how to improve the department. “The defendants’ acts of retaliation have left staff chief morale festering,” the lawsuit notes, noting repeated tense incidents between Kavanagh and the staff chiefs and newly appointed First Deputy Commissioner Joseph Pfeifer, who the fire commissioner appointed “to quell the turmoil caused by her own actions.”įront page of the New York Daily News for March 5, 2023: Inside the bitter battle tearing FDNY apart – are lives at risk? Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh has overseen a shakeup of the FDNY that has angered a group of her top chiefs.įDNY sources said Kavanagh was opposed to the demoted chiefs aggressive leadership styles and described them as “bad apples” although none of them had any substantiated complaints with the department. Since then, the department has been in “free fall” the amended complaint claims. The ageism lawsuit was first filed on March 23. The suit also says Kavanagh pressured chief Massucci into retracting his demotion request by claiming it would get him “back into the mix.” The amended lawsuit claims Kavanagh retaliated against Gala for participating in the lawsuit by publicizing his son Robert’s robbery case in FDNY internal media feeds. “All these heroes seek is to be treated fairly and to restore an FDNY that puts safety first,” Walden said. “We are hopeful that the court will recognize the injustice suffered by this group of dedicated public servants.” ![]() “To subject these experienced public servants to age discrimination and retaliation is not only morally wrong, it defies the letter and spirit of the laws that guarantee equal treatment in any American workplace regardless of race, gender, religion - or age,” said attorney Jim Walden, who is representing the chiefs. At 40, Kavanagh, the city’s first woman fire commissioner, is also one of the city’s youngest commissioners. ![]()
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