The FDNY yesterday announced it is increasing manning on fire engines citywide except on Staten Island.
Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta was able to increase the number of firefighters on some engines from four to five because of lower medical-leave figures, the department said in a statement.
In June, budget woes forced the city to cut the number of engines with five firefighters from 60 to 40.
The city cut a deal with the firefighters union, promising to begin restoring the five-member engines if medical-leave statistics, which had skyrocketed due to Sept. 11-related illnesses, dropped below 8 percent. They're now at 7.9 percent.
The staffing level didn't have to be restored until Jan. 1, but Scoppetta restored five of the engines to full staffing yesterday.
"We commend the administration for taking this pro-active step toward the early restoration of five companies to full staffing," said Uniformed Firefighters Association President Stephen Cassidy.
