If I can my two cents in here, this really sounds like bad news.
It sounds like the worst kind of political correctness run amok, that fitness standards for the FDNY have to be lowered for artificial "diversity" reasons that are all politics and have nothing to do with real Firefighting.
It is a great idea to have more women firefighters, AS LONG AS THEY CAN DO THE JOB.
Hiring women who cannot is going to make us all less safe and be a big morale problem for the rank and file FDNY.
There is, of course, the whole question of past discrimination within the FDNY, and especially in terms of non-white Firefighters, this has to be addressed.
One thing nobody ever seem to see, though, is that a lot of non-white men who ARE up to the standards of the Fire Department have other opportunities that may appeal to them more...
By the way, I see no one suggesting we lower the standards for physical abilities for the Navy Seals for instance ( I can't pretend to be an expert on any of this though. I would leave that to the U.S. Navy).
OK, there must be more acceptance of non-white-male firefighters, but this move doesn't sound like good news as I have made clear.
That's all I have to say, as a concerned citizen.
Built Up Disputed TestFDNY Plans to Reassign Head of Its Fitness Unit
MICHAEL CACCIOLA: Collateral damage?
SARINYA SRISAKUL: Culture change still needed.
Posted: Friday, May 29, 2015 5:00 pm | Updated: 6:30 pm, Fri May 29, 2015.
The longtime head of the FDNY’s fitness program, who oversees physical training at the Fire Academy, is in talks with the department about being reassigned to a new role, likely by the end of June, THE CHIEF-LEADER has learned.
Lieut. Michael Cacciola, a 27-year FDNY veteran, is one of the principal architects of the Functional Skills Training, a requirement unique to the Fire Academy in which candidates in bunker gear perform tasks that firefighters regularly tackle, such as dragging a hose line up stairs and forcing entry into a building. The test became a key part of graduation requirements in 2008, when it was timed and graded for the first time.
More Than is Needed?
The United Women Firefighters has alleged that the tasks required in the FST go beyond what any one firefighter would do in an actual fire, and the City Council held hearings in December over whether it was discriminatory toward women. Members of the UWF testified that it was, but other female firefighters passionately defended it and suggested that to eliminate it would unnecessarily lower standards.
A Fire Department spokesman May 22 confirmed that talks about reassigning Lieutenant Cacciola have been going on for some time, as part of a number of personnel changes by Fire Commissioner Nigro.
The Lieutenant did not return a phone call last week asking for comment.
Last year, the department commissioned an independent review of the Fire Academy’s physical requirements. It was conducted by PSI, the professional test-development company that helped create the current FDNY written exam. The previous written test was tossed after a Judge ruled against the department in a Federal racial-discrimination case.
Reduced Its Emphasis
The results of the PSI review have not been made public, but after they were issued early this year, the order of the tasks in the FST were changed. Its importance to graduation was also reduced. For a few classes in 2013 and 2014, the training became a critical pass—if candidates earned less than a 75 percent, they automatically failed the Academy. This year, it was returned to its 2008 role, with the FST grade being weighed along with academics, physical fitness and other criteria.
UWF President Sarinya Srisakul has condemned leaks to the press in recent months about the physical performance of women and minority firefighter candidates going through the Academy.
Asked about Lieutenant Cacciola’s move, she said, “I’m glad the department is taking the right steps [to deter the leaks] but the bigger problem is the culture that contributes to these kinds of behaviors,” including what she described as a “bullying culture” in the department. She alleged that there was a tendency in the past for women and minorities in the Academy to receive extra scrutiny and demeaning treatment, and said that graduation requirements that are not job-reflective disproportionately work to the disadvantage of women and people of color.
Unsure Leaks Will Stop
“I wish I could say that I have faith that the leaks will stop, but I don’t,” Ms. Srisakul added.
A retired fire officer, asked to comment on Lieutenant Cacciola’s departure, said, “My understanding is that everyone involved at the fitness unit were highly dedicated people and they tried as hard as they could, often on their own time, to help anyone who was struggling no matter what their race, gender or any other category that they might fall into. It appears that in the drive to diversify the Fire Department, there may be a certain amount of collateral damage to innocent people.”
Regina Wilson, president of the Vulcan Society of Black Firefighters, said in a phone interview, “The [FDNY] is always trying to find ways to make sure that the work environment is inclusive and diversified, and whatever necessary steps the department takes to make sure that those things happen and provide a better working and training atmosphere the Vulcan Society supports.”
Posted on Friday, May 29, 2015 5:00 pm. Updated: 6:30 pm.
Sit Down with The Chief - May 14
Reporter Sarah Dorsey talks about the fallout in Stamford, CT, after the city had to throw out...
© Copyright 2015, The Chief, New York, NY. Powered by BLOX Content Management System from TownNews.com.
Welcome to the discussion.