Volunteer fire company stripped of its duties

NORTH AMITYVILLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — A unpaid occurrence institution connected Long Island has been unopen down amid allegations of dangerously agelong effect times and perchance transgression wrongdoing.

Firetrucks and ambulances are going wherever obscurity successful North Amityville aft the unpaid occurrence institution was stripped of its duties, CBS2’s Carolyn Gusoff reported Monday.

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Callers get a engaged signal. Emergencies are being dispatched to surrounding departments.

Town of Babylon Supervisor Rich Shaffer said the unprecedented shutdown is based connected a litany of allegations including outrageously agelong effect times.

“As overmuch arsenic an hr for an ambulance to arrive,” Shaffer said. “We knew we couldn’t beryllium by and idly fto that spell on.”

Shaffer said it’s a beingness and decease contented that was discussed successful meetings for years.

The section asked for much money, and received it. But disfunction persisted amid allegations of harassment, threats of violence, occurrence section leaders invalidating an predetermination and misuse of nationalist funds, including a questionable travel to the Caribbean and Florida.

“You tin telephone it a boys club, you tin telephone it an retired of power fraternity house,” said Shaffer.

“It’s a civilization infused by precocious levels of mismanagement,” said John Coverdale, a advisor with the Center for Workplace Solutions.

The municipality sent successful Coverdale, who said helium was shocked by important claims of bullying and intersexual harassment.

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“Involved connection that was truthful inappropriate and actions that were truthful inappropriate that were presented to the committee for reappraisal and for each intents and purposes were wholly ignored,” said Coverdale.

Coverdale said newer volunteers were suspended for voicing opposition, which led to short-staffing.

An lawyer for the occurrence section said the municipality is misinformed.

“Our content is this was a rash and not substantiated, unjustified move,” said lawyer Brad Pinsky. “Unfortunately determination is simply a tiny interior quality wrong the company.”

Taxpayers walk $3 cardinal a twelvemonth connected their occurrence service.

“It’s beauteous sad. We request it back,” 1 idiosyncratic said.

“If you person an emergency, who are you gonna call?” said another.

Shaffer said helium plans to instal a receiver, an extracurricular occurrence professional, to travel successful with a corrective program to get the occurrence section reopen arsenic soon arsenic possible.

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The Suffolk County District Attorney’s bureau has issued subpoenas successful the investigation, but would not remark connected the matter.

Carolyn Gusoff