Extra Pay Called For FDNY's Haz-Tac Units

[x635 4,066]

Wait, don't FDNY EMT's and Paramedics staff these Haz-Tac units??? It does say triaging and administering antidotes, which is an EMS role as far as I know.

Extra Pay Called For FDNY's Hazard Units

STEFAN C FRIEDMAN

Courtesy of New York Post

September 30, 2004 -- Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta yesterday called for extra pay for FDNY hazardous-tactical units to encourage more firefighters to join them.  

Testifying before the City Council Committee on Fire and Criminal Justice Services, Scoppetta said that heavy training requirements have kept firefighters from signing up.  

The job involves identifying hazardous materials, administering antidotes and triaging patients.  

But a little extra cash would go a long way toward extra recruitment, the fire chief added.  

"We believe that if specialization pay could be obtained . . . we would have sufficient personnel interested in taking on the added responsibilities of the HazTac units," he said.  

The city has 20 HazTac ambulances on call 24 hours a day.  

[Guest]

The FDNY Haz-Tac ambulances (Henry - BLS, Zebra - ALS) are staffed by EMT's and Paramedics, respectively. These units have to undergo specialized training (How to treat in the hot zone, etc). at the EMS academy in Queens before being put out into the field.

They are stocked with Scott Packs, Level A Suits, and an assortment of other items. New ambulances are in the works for these units, which are rumored to be quite larger than the standard one they operate out of now.

An important thing to remember about the HazTac bus is that when there's nothing Haz Mat related, your still doing sick jobs in your 89.

[tbendick 27]

From what I can figure out is that it was a mistake by the papers.

Currently FDNY is increasing the Haz-Tac program. There is no incentive for anyone to go and get the training.

In the past many EMT's or Medics would sign up with the hopes of getting a spot in ERS or on the USAR team. After the loss of ERS people were no longer interested. If you did sign up chances would be that you ended up with the worse spot. So if you were happy then there was no interest in going to school.

[Guest pentax02839]

they should get an extra incentive pay for working around hazmat