FDNY Exam 2000

[HopefulFF]

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/j...icle-1.1057637

Judge Nicholas Garaufis over the top again in FDNY lawsuit

Brooklyn Federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis’ unseemly warring with Mayor Bloomberg continues apace, with his honor demanding that hizzoner cough up an extraordinary sum to pay for a monitor to oversee Fire Department hiring.

Not only that, Garaufis insists that Bloomberg pick up the cost without the ability to inspect exactly what the city is paying for. The monitor’s first bill was an astonishing $310,758.90 for what was sketchily represented as 52 days of work.

Garaufis dismisses the need to provide taxpayers with backup documentation because, he says, he’ll check in private to see that the accounts and amounts are okay. Already, though, he’s doing a lousy job of it.

We took the broad outlines of the monitor’s charges as released by Garaufis, ran the numbers and discovered that they don’t quite add up. The tally shorted the monitor, a lawyer named Mark Cohen, by $10.

Trivial this is not. The discrepancy handily illustrates why Garaufis is wrong to ask the public to accept on faith the accuracy and reasonableness of the charges racked up by the monitor he appointed with a seemingly unlimited call on taxpayer funding.

For good reason, city lawyers have asked the federal appeals court to remove Garaufis from a case that he has high-handedly exploded from a claim that two-decades-old FDNY hiring tests were discriminatory to blacks into a wholesale takeover of the department’s hiring process.

He was within bounds to oversee, as he did, the development of the hiring test that has just been administered. But the judge went far off the reservation both in finding that the city intentionally discriminated — discounting the Bloomberg administration’s extensive and successful drive to increase the ranks of minority test takers — and in commandeering, wholesale, the FDNY’s personnel operations.

Garaufis appointed Cohen as a monitor who will fix everything that may or may not be broken, with all indications pointing to the conclusion that the judge will not be satisfied until the proportion of blacks in the FDNY rises to his satisfaction. Running a fair hiring process will not suffice.

The summary of Cohen’s billing released by Garaufis suggests Cohen is working with three lawyers plus paralegal talent with rates topping out at $650 per hour. Who knows? The judge did offer an explanation for why he refuses to provide an itemized tab — and it is a revealing stunner.

Doing so could alert the FDNY that the monitor is conducting “various lines of research and investigation that should be kept confidential.” Translation: This is not a collegial effort designed to achieve the best results through cooperation. It’s a never-ending game of gotcha.

[TomFromQueens]

If they go the Philly route basically the test will come down to if you get any extra points. And then from there it's anyone's guess how they will break down the thousands of guys that scored over a 100.

[kd44]

I was scheduled to take the review session on May 21st in Brooklyn at 12pm and I just got an email informing me that my review session was canceled. Anyone else receive a cancelation email from PSI?

[TomFromQueens]

I was scheduled to take the review session on May 21st in Brooklyn at 12pm and I just got an email informing that my review session was canceled. Anyone else receive a cancelation email from PSI?

I have it for the 12th and they haven't canceled yet.

[Bellestoria]

I have it for the 12th and they haven't canceled yet.

Me too, 5/12. I actually just got an email confirming.....this should clear up exactly what this Review is all about:

"
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING FOR CRITICAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROTEST REVIEW SESSION

PROTEST REVIEW SESSION
At the Protest Review Session, you will review the test you took and see both the answers you gave and the Scoring Key (correct answer) for each question. You will be allowed the length of time of the test to complete your review. The Protest Review Session will end promptly at the end of the allotted time.

The purpose of the Protest Review Session is to permit you to submit protests against the Scoring Key. If, as a result of your review, you decide to submit a protest to any Scoring Key answer you will have to substantiate your protest. Protests for this exam must be prepared and submitted at the time of the Protest Review Session.

You must appear in person; you may NOT bring with you or have presented any other person at this test review. You may NOT bring any handwritten notes, recording devices, or electronic devices of any kind. In NO case will you be allowed to remove from our premises any materials relating to the test, or any notes that you may make during the Protest Review Session.

There will be NO rescheduling of appointments for the Protest Review Sessions.

The Test Validation Board (TVB) will only address valid protests. The TVB will not address general complaints, complaints about the job-relatedness of the test, complaints about the administration of the test, or complaints about technical issues that you believe may have occurred during the examination. Such complaints are considered to be invalid protests. Please read the instructions below prior to preparing your protest(s).

FORMAT FOR PREPARING VALID PROTESTS
A Protest Review Form will be provided to you to submit any protests. For each protest you decide to submit against the Scoring Key you must start a new page on the Protest Review Form. Each page must be headed by the following: Examination Title; Examination Number; Question Number; Test Date; your Social Security Number. State the question number you are protesting, explain why the answer you selected is "as good as" or "better than" the Proposed Key Answer, and specify the action you would like the TVB to take.

After the protest period is over, the Test Validation Board (TVB) reviews all protests. The TVB is empowered by Section 50-A of the New York State Civil Service Law, to change key answers, allow duplicate or multiple answers, or delete items from the test. After all protests are reviewed, the TVB prepares a report detailing its findings. After the eligible list has been established, all candidates who submitted protests will be called in to read the TVB Reports. The determinations made by the TVB are binding. Therefore, no further changes will be entertained.
"

[QCFRANKC]

Quick question to anyone who knows. Does psi also administer the firefighter exam in PA as well or does some other company do it?

good question ...does anyone know?

[MFES]

good question ...does anyone know?

It's a different company. Philly was FPSI which specifically does fire and police tests.

[CableGuy516]

So the list will be established and then you get to go in and "read" the TVB Reports? And only those who submit a protest get to come in and see it? I suggest to anyone who submits a protest that you write it down immediately when you get home from the review so you can recall what you submitted when you go back in there, possibly months later to see the outcome.

After the eligible list has been established, all candidates who submitted protests will be called in to read the TVB Reports. The determinations made by the TVB are binding. Therefore, no further changes will be entertained.
"

[BrooklynBorn]

I just recieved a pre recorded reminder call that my test is Tom from Sal Cassano.

[FdnytolifeE293]

So the list will be established and then you get to go in and "read" the TVB Reports? And only those who submit a protest get to come in and see it? I suggest to anyone who submits a protest that you write it down immediately when you get home from the review so you can recall what you submitted when you go back in there, possibly months later to see the outcome.

You must appear in person; you may NOT bring with you or have presented any other person at this test review. You may NOT bring any handwritten notes, recording devices, or electronic devices of any kind. In NO case will you be allowed to remove from our premises any materials relating to the test, or any notes that you may make during the Protest Review Session.

[FdnytolifeE293]

I believe we might even get our scores back before we go to the review session. Now I don't know about list numbers being established before we go to the review, but I know in the past you would get your score before protesting. It would be great if we got our scores a week or so after testing is over. Aleast we would know what our scores look like and determine more or less where we stand in all of this.

[MIDWESTRECRUIT]

So let me wrap my head around this and hope clearity from you all will shine. If we have a discrepancy with some of the answers we can file a petition and then protest.

However you must attend the TVB protest session.? Is this correct.?

What if you can't attend? will the people who contest questions and answers and they get the answers reversed in the favor of the canidate will that then be awarded for all the people taking the test or only those who attended?

I know from reading other forums from past tests that the reversals got awarded to all the canidates. I wonder if the same applies here.?

Any thoughts. Thanks.

[HopefulFF]

So let me wrap my head around this and hope clearity from you all will shine. If we have a discrepancy with some of the answers we can file a petition and then protest.

However you must attend the TVB protest session.? Is this correct.?

What if you can't attend? will the people who contest questions and answers and they get the answers reversed in the favor of the canidate will that then be awarded for all the people taking the test or only those who attended?

I know from reading other forums from past tests that the reversals got awarded to all the canidates. I wonder if the same applies here.?

Any thoughts. Thanks.

In the past, the NYC tests would be the same, if an answer was reversed for one, it was for all, but that doesn't mean the same will happen on this exam. I can't see how it wouldn't be changed for everyone but a lot of things that I think don't make sense are taking place.

[MIDWESTRECRUIT]

yeah i hear ya. thanks for the input will be taking the test tuesday.

[MIDWESTRECRUIT]

Maybe when everyone is all done we can get our anxiety out of the way and review and have power to protest.

[Bellestoria]

I just recieved a pre recorded reminder call that my test is Tom from Sal Cassano.

Strange, the commish didn't call me with a reminder. I wonder why I didn't make it on his list?

[MIDWESTRECRUIT]

I wasn't fortunate either, however i did get an email:


Recruitment E-News - April 2012
USEFUL INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS FOR FIREFIGHTER EXAMS #2000 & #2500

Dear Firefighter Applicant,

I want to wish you good luck and success on the Firefighter Exam. I know that you have been waiting a long time for this opportunity, and I know you'll do your best to make the most of it.

I've been a member of the FDNY for the past 42 years, and I can tell you that there is no better job in the world than being one of New York's Bravest. In order to get the best, you must ace this test. I hope that you have done your best to prepare for the exam. There is still time to review the FDNY Firefighter Information and Tutorial materials. View the materials. Make sure you review some of the tips for successful test-taking.

Again, I wish you the best of luck with the exam. After you finish the exam, you will be one step closer to your dream of becoming a New York City Firefighter.

Sincerely,

Salvatore J. Cassano
Fire Commissioner

[TomFromQueens]

I was called and e-mailed the day before my exam.

[FDNYPD]

Nevermind that it was a recording, I thought it was pretty cool how Cassano called candidates and wished them good luck.

I can't wait until the testing is over so we can dispell some of these stupid rumors. Some are absurd.

[BrooklynBorn]

"But to get the best you must take the test"