NEW YORK FIREFIGHTERS ENDORSE WEINER FOR MAYOR

- - - - - - - - -

22,000 ACTIVE &RETIRED NEW YORK CITY FIREFIGHTERS THROW THEIR WEIGHT BEHIND WEINER CAMPAIGN

New York City - Today, the Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA) announced that they are endorsing Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-Queens & Brooklyn) for Mayor of New York City.  The endorsement took place outside of the quarters of Engine Company 212 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, one of six fire companies closed by the Bloomberg Administration.

The UFA represents 22,000 active and retired New York City firefighters and is the largest firefighters union local in the world.

"New York’s Bravest are on the front line everyday fighting for New Yorkers and Congressman Weiner understands the local public safety issues that affect our city, our firefighters and the citizens we are sworn to protect,” said Steve Cassidy, UFA President.  

“Anthony Weiner understands that you just can’t close firehouses and reduce staffing on fire companies by 20% while claiming with smoke and mirrors that you are maintaining an acceptable level of public safety.”  Mr. Cassidy continued, “Reducing staffing and closing firehouses in a post 9-11 world, while New York City remains the number one terrorist target is absolutely foolhardy.  We believe that when elected Mayor, Anthony Weiner will make these vital public safety issues a priority.”

The UFA ironically was the first and only union to endorse Anthony Weiner when he first ran for public office, and despite being an underdog was elected to a Brooklyn City Council seat.

“New York's firefighters are true American heroes, putting their lives on the line everyday to save the lives of strangers," said Rep. Weiner.  "It is a tremendous honor to have their support, as well as the support of Steve Cassidy. He has been a great leader for the UFA, a tireless fighter for firefighters, for working people, and for the City.  I look forward to standing shoulder to shoulder with him in the fight for good benefits and better wages for working people and a safer New York City for all of us to City Hall."

Weiner continued, “The people of the communities of Williamsburg, Greenpoint (E212) ,Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens( E204), Sunset Park, Bay Ridge (E278), Bedford Stuyvesant (E209), Long Island City, Astoria, Roosevelt Island, Western Queens (E261), Harlem and Mott Haven (E36) have had their fire protection taken away by this administration and when elected we will restore these vital community fire companies.

Throughout his career, Weiner has been a consistent advocate for firefighters, working people and homeland security.  

In Congress, he has fought to increase benefits to the families of deceased or disabled firefighters from $151,000 to $250,000, and to increase the ceiling on the federal Fire Grant program that allows individual fire departments to get federal dollars for fire fighting equipment.

As a member of the Subcommittee on Crime, Homeland Security and Terrorism he has fought to change the formula by which homeland security dollars are distributed to put the greatest emphasis on threat.