New York Post November 8, 2015
A female FDNY recruit has graduated from the Fire Academy after her instructors fudged on her strength, agility and running requirements, insiders say.
Choeurlyne Doirin-Holder, 39, never achieved a passing score of 17 minutes and 50 seconds on the Functional Skills Test, a course of job-related tasks in full gear such as stretching hoses and dragging dummies, according to an FDNY source familiar with the training. She did not come in under 24 minutes in practice tests.
Doirin-Holder also failed to run the required 1.5 miles in 12 minutes or less — even after the running course was slashed by an estimated quarter-mile, the source said, alleging that the start and finish lines were moved to shorten the run.
She completed the abbreviated run in 12:06, the source said.
Under a recent loosening of rules ordered by FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro, probationary firefighters who fail the run can demonstrate adequate aerobic capacity on a StairMaster machine — which she was allowed to do, the source said.
The FDNY has come under fire for its lack of female firefighters, who now number 49 — less than half of 1 percent of the 10,500-person force.
Doirin-Holder, a former city EMT, is one of 282 court-ordered “priority hires” who Brooklyn federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis ordered must get preference because of past discrimination against minorities.
It was her third attempt at passing the academy after taking the civil-service exam in 1999.
After dropping out of her second attempt in 2014 because of an injury, the FDNY gave the mom-of-two a desk job at full firefighter pay and benefits. She was paid $81,376 including overtime last year.
“I had to sacrifice a lot to get here, but it was worth it for my children to see me going after something I wanted and not letting limitations define me,” she told The Village Voice.
Three other female probies passed all the physical tests, the source said: Lisa Cusimano, 21; Sheliz Salcedo, 29; and Aleigha Powder, 32.
An FDNY spokesman had no comment on the tests beyond pointing out that Doirin-Holder “met all requirements for graduating from Probationary Firefighters School and was assigned to a firehouse.”
15 comments:
39?
Maybe I'm missing something, but isn't that a little old to start out as a firebabe?
I'd think you'd want somebody college-aged, not Metamucil-aged.
Outta be a law against it. Too stupid.
They never fail to put public employees above the public, even if someone has to die.
And it would be criminal negligence to send her into a fire to pull someone out, knowing full well she is not up to standard. The result is she will never be asked to do her job, and others will be asked to risk their lives more than they should have to.
Firemen save foundations around here and generally get in the way.
Don't worry she sounds like a scammer. In about a tear or two. She will claim some sort of injury and go out on disability.
It says they gave her a desk job, so no actual fire fighting, and presumably there is work for her to do. Which means that someone had a little bit of sense. I can't blame anyone for trying over and over and being persistent. And if you're the person involved I can see just being glad to finally have the job because your own priorities have to be your immediate ones and not some larger principle of affirmative action.
So, short version... I don't blame HER. But that doesn't mean that the higher ups that give the orders, the Mayor, etc.
I forgot the last half of the last sentence, but I'm sure you all know what I mean.
I have investigated firefighters on disability cases. They have a license to steal. The only time the govt. investigates is when a citizen complains. Neighbors, friends, etc. see the "disabled" guy playing competitive sports, chopping wood, pumping iron, etc. and get fed up having to pay a perfectly healthy 40 years old a hefty sum while we private sector people foot the bill. But, if no one complains, nothing is done. Real journalists across the country could do investigative pieces all around this country in different jurisdictions. It's been this way for generations. Cops have the same money tree.
Some of the most blatant examples of fraud I have uncovered are firefighters.
I hope she doesn't get anyone killed.
As long as she's at a desk there won't be firefighters using the line that I heard from a local fireman about an under qualified female firefighter, "I wouldn't go into a burning building with her." But then my town has volunteer firefighters who get paid very little. Most are married and have regular jobs and have reasons for doing it other than money.
I know one female firefighter in San Francisco. Friend of a friend. She's BIG, like really, seriously, pumped up. I don't doubt that she puts in the time at the gym; there's no faking that. She's also constantly on disability/vacation.
I've had a number of personal injury cases with cops on the other side. One in particular that is relevant to this discussion is the one where the cop said he had no disability claims and then we found out through channels that he had over 25 of them. Also, he tried to intimidate an independent witness to change his story.
I have never seen a woman on one of the private carting trucks. I have never heard of a woman who felt it discriminatory that there are no women on private carting crews. No women on asbestos removal crews either........The feminists are quite willing to let some jobs remain exclusively male.
Synova -- the $81+K job was after she DROPPED OUT in 2014 due to an injury. But that wasn't good enough for her -- now she is assigned to a firehouse.
Really, what fireman would go into a burning building with her?
That said I did know of a female firefighter -- married to a fellow fighter -- in the Seattle area. She eventually (late thirties?) resigned as she had another career she was doing well in. Don't know how well she did her job, but I don't think she had the tests cut down for her 20 years ago.
I think victims should be allowed to sue if she fails to do her job and someone is injured. Fires don't cut corners.
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