New York Mayor Insists Fire Department Will Not Lose Power in Haz-Mat Emergencies

    May 25, 2004
    The Police Department was given a key role in hazardous-materials emergencies because that's common sense "in this day and age" of terrorist threats, Mayor Bloomberg said yesterday - insisting the Fire Department hasn't lost any power.
    May 25, 2004 -- The Police Department was given a key role in hazardous-materials emergencies because that's common sense "in this day and age" of terrorist threats, Mayor Bloomberg said yesterday - insisting the Fire Department hasn't lost any power.

    "I made the decision myself," the mayor declared, responding to critics who claim it reflected Police Commissioner Ray Kelly's great clout with him.

    Peter Gorman, president of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association, said a single agency, the FDNY, should oversee "mitigation and assessment" at haz-mat sites.

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