Extra Pay Called For FDNY's Hazard Units

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.