IAFF/FDNY: Twittered

The Ouch of Actual Feedback

With New York’s Covid-19 vaccine mandate firmly in place, FDNY firefighters have taken to Twitter.

Here’s the tweet:

And here’s a response which pretty much sums up the public view:

There is a near total disconnect between the union’s view of the situation versus public opinion.

In a tweet which will stand as an example of one of the most bizarre and destructive written, here’s what IAFF President Ed Kelly had to say:

Even if it’s assumed that Kelly is willing to pander to two of the IAFF’s largest affiliates, he set the IAFF against the public with a series of ignorant and outlandish notions.

At least nine people are dying each and every day of Covid in New York City; Ed Kelly says, “No crisis here.”

Here’s a few more citizen twitter responses:

• “I’d say being relieved of their duties today makes it much more dignified than staying at work unvaccinated, prolonging the pandemic and risking others lives. Do your union members understand what a community really means? Public Health? They’ve just been lead down a rabbit hole”
• “Vaccines have been available to y’all since the start of the year. The mandate should have happened months ago. Get over it or retire.”
• “Nationwide — 2019–48 firefighters died in the line of duty. — 2020–140 firefighters died. 78 due to COVID. — 2021–114 firefighters died. 52 due to COVID. Get vaxxed and get back to work.”
• “Rushing? RUSHING?!? Vaccines have been out since January, widely available to everyone since May. PROVEN to greatly reduce illness and especially hospitalization and death (by a factor of 12!). GET THE VACCINE! Quit making excuses that this is not about the vaccine.”
• “Risking lives of the citizens”? Are you kidding? That’s exactly what YOU are doing!”
• “Don’t trust FDNY with this behavior you are exhibiting. In uniform and nasty when asked to wear a mask and now this. Nope. Losing your credibility quickly.”

And then, up pops one which suggests that vaccine refusal is a surrogate for something else entirely:

Twitter is offering a shocking reality check to the First Class passengers on the FDNY Titanic as the bow slips beneath the waves.