Tom Lapolla, Retired NYC Firefighter
Sep. 15th, 2022 12:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
transcriberbNew York City Committees on Oversight and Investigations & Civil Service and Labor
Gale A. Brewer, Chair
September 9, 2022
https://councilnyc.viebit.com/player.php?hash=U2mDNKAEkDJA
Source:
https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/Calendar.aspx
[screenshot]
TRANSCRIPT
4:25:10
TOM LAPOLLA: Good afternoon. My name is Tom Lapolla. I've been a member of the Fire Department for the past 38 years, achieving the rank of Battalion Chief. But unfortunately, my career came to an abrupt end last year when a former mayor arbitrarily decided to implement a mandate that all New York City employees receive an experimental gene therapy, as I was forced to retire. No need for me to explain why I did not take this experimental shot. Suffice it to say, I'm a believer in informed consent.
I'm here today to give my unequivocal support to the brave men and women of the Fire Department, the NYPD [NY Police Department], the sanitation workers, teachers, and any other municipal employee who may have lost their jobs because of this unjust mandate, or who still remain on leave without pay.
I've also recognized the potential harm that this mandate may have already caused each agency as a result of the sudden departure of many of its members, in both leadership and the rank and file.
As a leader, I realized that one of my immediate responsibilities was to identify and inspire future leaders of the organization. Now in this past year, I've watched many new leaders come into their own, some of whom you've already listened to today. [points to the firefighters seated to his right and to his left, Bobby Banome and Paul Schweit] Alright? Which, under normal conditions would have prompted me to encourage these members to step into the breech and fill the void left by the natural attrition process. But sadly, now these potential leaders have now either been terminated or they still remain on leave without pay.
The void created by these terminations and forced retirements forced early retirements of many others is immeasurable as these members took with them all their experiences and their knowledge. And it may be years until these agencies return to what we used to call normal.
By continuing to keep this talented workforce out of work because they chose not to be coerced into receiving this jab does nothing to keep people safe. But it does prevent them from providing the services that they have been trained to do, and that training, all that it cost to the taxpayer.
Every one of these people has been negatively impacted by this mandate showed up for work throughout the pandemic, and at great personal risk, not only to themselves but to their families as well.
All they are asking for is simply to return to work so they too can provide for their families, just like the Mets, the Yankees, the Nicks and the Mets. I don't believe that's too much to ask.
And I do recognize that it may be a difficult political decision for the mayor to rescind this unnecessary mandate at this time. But, hey, he was a New York City police captain, and I'm quite sure His Honor has the moral courage to put aside all politics for a moment and simply do the right thing.
Thank you very much and God bless you all.
4:27:32
[END]
> List of Transcriptions by Transcriber B (home page)
Gale A. Brewer, Chair
September 9, 2022
https://councilnyc.viebit.com/player.php?hash=U2mDNKAEkDJA
Source:
https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/Calendar.aspx
[screenshot]
TRANSCRIPT
4:25:10
TOM LAPOLLA: Good afternoon. My name is Tom Lapolla. I've been a member of the Fire Department for the past 38 years, achieving the rank of Battalion Chief. But unfortunately, my career came to an abrupt end last year when a former mayor arbitrarily decided to implement a mandate that all New York City employees receive an experimental gene therapy, as I was forced to retire. No need for me to explain why I did not take this experimental shot. Suffice it to say, I'm a believer in informed consent.
I'm here today to give my unequivocal support to the brave men and women of the Fire Department, the NYPD [NY Police Department], the sanitation workers, teachers, and any other municipal employee who may have lost their jobs because of this unjust mandate, or who still remain on leave without pay.
I've also recognized the potential harm that this mandate may have already caused each agency as a result of the sudden departure of many of its members, in both leadership and the rank and file.
As a leader, I realized that one of my immediate responsibilities was to identify and inspire future leaders of the organization. Now in this past year, I've watched many new leaders come into their own, some of whom you've already listened to today. [points to the firefighters seated to his right and to his left, Bobby Banome and Paul Schweit] Alright? Which, under normal conditions would have prompted me to encourage these members to step into the breech and fill the void left by the natural attrition process. But sadly, now these potential leaders have now either been terminated or they still remain on leave without pay.
The void created by these terminations and forced retirements forced early retirements of many others is immeasurable as these members took with them all their experiences and their knowledge. And it may be years until these agencies return to what we used to call normal.
By continuing to keep this talented workforce out of work because they chose not to be coerced into receiving this jab does nothing to keep people safe. But it does prevent them from providing the services that they have been trained to do, and that training, all that it cost to the taxpayer.
Every one of these people has been negatively impacted by this mandate showed up for work throughout the pandemic, and at great personal risk, not only to themselves but to their families as well.
All they are asking for is simply to return to work so they too can provide for their families, just like the Mets, the Yankees, the Nicks and the Mets. I don't believe that's too much to ask.
And I do recognize that it may be a difficult political decision for the mayor to rescind this unnecessary mandate at this time. But, hey, he was a New York City police captain, and I'm quite sure His Honor has the moral courage to put aside all politics for a moment and simply do the right thing.
Thank you very much and God bless you all.
4:27:32
[END]
> List of Transcriptions by Transcriber B (home page)
