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(1010 WINS) NEW YORK The New York fire department commissioner says firefighter response times have slowed because union leaders have advised members to stop before going through red lights or stop signs.
But a union president calls the commissioner's accusation ``foolish.''
In a letter to fire union presidents Peter Gorman and Stephen Cassidy, Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta says Gorman has directed officers to disregard department rules by advising them to stop before running red lights or stop signs on the job.
The fire department's policy allows fire trucks responding to emergencies to go through red lights or stop signs after slowing down for safety if they need to. It was instituted last July after a fire truck ran a red light and killed a civilian. Union boss Cassidy says he tells firefighters to drive safely and read the policy.
He says it's foolish for the fire commissioner to blame the unions for increasing response times when the commissioner instituted a policy to reduce the number of accidents. He says the department has focused on driving more safely.
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