Free Republic

In blunt, scolding language, a federal judge on Tuesday criticized the city’s conduct during legal negotiations aimed at diversifying the Fire Department, accusing the Bloomberg administration of shirking its responsibility for redressing discrimination and of exaggerating claims about threats to public safety during the dispute. The judge, Nicholas G. Garaufis, of Federal District Court in Brooklyn, also raised the possibility of imposing sanctions on New York City. In a 20-page decision, the judge, who had previously found that the city administered tests that discriminated against black and Hispanic firefighter candidates, ordered the city not to hire new firefighters. That permanent...

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), antiinflammatory treatments often prescribed for asthma, may be beneficial in preventing respiratory illness, according to a new study. The research examined the effectiveness of ICS in preventing asthma and other respiratory illness due to inhalation exposures experienced by NYC firefighters after the World Trade Center (WTC) collapse. Two years post-collapse, those firefighters treated with ICS reported positive feedback. "Respiratory protection is often needed during disasters, but it is difficult to get it instantly, and many responders, without EMS or fire experience, have not been trained or fit-tested to wear equipment properly. Couple this with a disaster environment...

New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com Fireman hurt in leap may sue Tuesday, March 1st, 2005 A firefighter injured in the Bronx blaze that killed two of his fellow Bravest in January plans to sue the city for unspecified damages, his lawyer said yesterday. Attorney Michael Block said the city's failure to provide safety ropes for his client, Firefighter Eugene Stolowski, caused the 33-year-old dad to be grievously injured in the Jan. 23 blaze. Stolowski - whose wife, Brigid, is due to give birth to twin girls - suffered a serious spinal cord injury when he and five other...