Stephen Cassidy
Encyclopedia
Stephen Cassidy is the President of the Uniformed Firefighters Association
of Fire Department of New York firefighters.
Cassidy is a vocal critic of former New York City
mayor
Rudy Giuliani
's record of response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
He charges that Giuliani's reputation of a hero or as "America's Mayor" is an undeserved myth. He has key appearances in the International Association of Fire Fighters
' video, Rudy Giuliani: Urban Legend, released on July 11, 2007 to fire departments across the U.S. The DVD rebroadcasts images of the collapsing Twin Towers. The video outlines New York firefighters' complaints against Giuliani. In the video, Cassidy said, "The things that we needed to do our jobs even better, we didn't have, because of his administration." He added, "On the heroic memory of 343 dead firefighters, he wants to run for president of the United States. It's a disgrace." Many other present and former IAFF leaders and firefighters from New York City appear in the video. He faulted the 9/11 Commission
for its treatment of Giuliani, "The 9/11 Commission gave Rudy Giuliani a pass, not asking him tough questions about what he knew, when he knew it or why he failed to provide respirators to firefighters and other first responders." He said that the lack of respirators led to exposure of first responders to fatal or otherwise serious pathogens.
He has criticized the reduction of the number of firehouses in Brooklyn
while up to 60,000 units of housing are planned for waterfront areas of Brooklyn.
In 2007, he sided with the Fire Department and the city of New York in a Federal lawsuit initiated by the Vulcan Society of black firefighters, which charged that the written entrance exams had disparate impact on minority candidates.
He endorsed president George W. Bush
in his 2004 re-election bid. In mid-July, 2007, he and former New York Senator Alfonse D'Amato had what Marcia Kramer of WCBS-TV
called a friendly breakfast with potential Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson.
Uniformed Firefighters Association
The Uniformed Firefighters Association is the main union of firefighters in the Fire Department of New York .Its president is Stephen J. Cassidy, a vocal critic of mayor Rudy Giuliani's decisions during the Rescue and recovery effort after the September 11, 2001 attacks.The union has made several...
of Fire Department of New York firefighters.
Cassidy is a vocal critic of former New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
Rudy Giuliani
Rudy Giuliani
Rudolph William Louis "Rudy" Giuliani KBE is an American lawyer, businessman, and politician from New York. He served as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001....
's record of response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
He charges that Giuliani's reputation of a hero or as "America's Mayor" is an undeserved myth. He has key appearances in the International Association of Fire Fighters
International Association of Fire Fighters
The International Association of Fire Fighters is a labor union representing professional firefighters in the United States and Canada. The IAFF was formed in 1918 and is affiliated with the AFL-CIO in the United States and the Canadian Labour Congress in Canada. The IAFF is headquartered in...
' video, Rudy Giuliani: Urban Legend, released on July 11, 2007 to fire departments across the U.S. The DVD rebroadcasts images of the collapsing Twin Towers. The video outlines New York firefighters' complaints against Giuliani. In the video, Cassidy said, "The things that we needed to do our jobs even better, we didn't have, because of his administration." He added, "On the heroic memory of 343 dead firefighters, he wants to run for president of the United States. It's a disgrace." Many other present and former IAFF leaders and firefighters from New York City appear in the video. He faulted the 9/11 Commission
9/11 Commission
The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission, was set up on November 27, 2002, "to prepare a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 attacks", including preparedness for and the immediate response to...
for its treatment of Giuliani, "The 9/11 Commission gave Rudy Giuliani a pass, not asking him tough questions about what he knew, when he knew it or why he failed to provide respirators to firefighters and other first responders." He said that the lack of respirators led to exposure of first responders to fatal or otherwise serious pathogens.
He has criticized the reduction of the number of firehouses in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
while up to 60,000 units of housing are planned for waterfront areas of Brooklyn.
In 2007, he sided with the Fire Department and the city of New York in a Federal lawsuit initiated by the Vulcan Society of black firefighters, which charged that the written entrance exams had disparate impact on minority candidates.
He endorsed president George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
in his 2004 re-election bid. In mid-July, 2007, he and former New York Senator Alfonse D'Amato had what Marcia Kramer of WCBS-TV
WCBS-TV
WCBS-TV, channel 2, is the flagship station of the CBS television network, located in New York City. The station's studios are located within the CBS Broadcast Center and its transmitter is atop the Empire State Building, both in Midtown Manhattan....
called a friendly breakfast with potential Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson.
See also
- Collapse of the World Trade CenterCollapse of the World Trade CenterThe twin towers of the World Trade Center collapsed on September 11, 2001, as a result of al-Qaeda's September 11 attacks, in which terrorists affiliated with al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners, flying one into the North Tower and another into the South Tower...
- Fire Department of New York
- Health effects of the September 11, 2001 attacks
- Rescue and recovery effort after the September 11, 2001 attacksRescue and recovery effort after the September 11, 2001 attacksThe rescue and recovery effort after the September 11 attacks comprised the local, state and federal agency reaction to the September 11 attacks. The unprecedented events of that day elicited the largest response of local emergency and rescue personnel to assist in the evacuation of the two towers...
- September 11, 2001 radio communicationsSeptember 11, 2001 radio communicationsRadio Communications during the September 11 attacks served a vital role in coordinating rescue efforts by New York Police Department, New York Fire Department, Port Authority Police Department, and Emergency Medical Services....
- September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks