FDNY Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta announced yesterday (Nov. 17) that four fire officers have been disciplined for failing to conduct their required hours of building inspections, according to a statement released by the department.
The disciplined officers include two captains and two lieutenants have been fined several days' pay and also have been moved from their field units to headquarters to work on fire prevention matters.
The department says the officers did not fully perform their mandated three-hour periods of inspection duty. Instead of leaving their firehouses at designated inspection periods, they left late and returned early.
The Department's Bureau of Investigations and Trials conducted surveillance of the units that resulted in these disciplinary actions. The FDNY implemented increased inspection auditing as part of its agreement with the Manhattan District Attorney's office in the aftermath of the Aug. 18, 2007 Deutsche Bank tragedy, where two firefighters died in the blaze at a building where the required 15-day inspections had not been done.
"Inspectional activity is a crucial part of the job for firefighters and fire officers, and failure to diligently perform this work is a dereliction of duty that will not be tolerated," Fire Commissioner Scoppetta said in the statement.
In addition to being detailed from their commands to headquarters, the four officers have agreed to the following disciplinary actions:
- 10 days pay - Lieutenant Edward McNulty, Ladder Company 152 (Ladder 152 missed more than 2 hours of their 3-hour scheduled inspection period by failing to leave quarters on time and returning before their shift was scheduled to end.)
- 5 days pay - Captain Patrick Gleason, Ladder Company 45 (Ladder 45 missed more than 90 minutes of their scheduled inspection time.)
- 5 days pay - Captain Gregory Wellbrock, Engine Company 93 (Engine 93 missed more than one hour of their scheduled inspection time.)
- 5 days pay - Lieutenant George Faller, Ladder Company 32 (Ladder 32 missed more than one hour of their scheduled inspection time.)
Two other fire officers also were disciplined for failing to conduct buildings inspections, but were given less formal discipline.
