October 15, 2007 -- A firefighter set to be bounced from the FDNY after testing positive for cocaine should keep his pension because he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder brought on by the 9/11 attacks, a judge recommended.
The Fire Department moved to dismiss 17-year firefighter John Schroeder because he tested positive for cocaine three years ago -- but administrative law Judge Kevin Casey says that such a move, which would cost Schroeder his pension benefits, is "unduly harsh."
He handed the ultimate decision over to Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta, who has held a strict zero-tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol.
FDNY officials said Casey's recommendation is under review.
Schroeder was assigned to Engine 10, across the street from Ground Zero, on Sept. 11, 2001. He spent weeks searching for remains.
"He has literally sacrificed his mental and physical well-being for his job and the city of New York," Casey wrote.
Republished with permission from the New York Post
