| THIS IS WHERE OUR TRAGIC TALE BEGINS |
| The official document above is from The New York City Fire Department. It's also the beginning of our sad story. It outlines the City of New York's and the Fire Department's plan for the future of EMS in NYC. What is printed on this document sounds great. When you look at this official document it's hard to believe that you are reading a fairy tale. The City of New York and FDNY couldn't keep their most basic promises of a better EMS system to the millions of people who live, work and play in the New York City area. The public has been shortchanged by FDNY's and New York City's incompetence. The worst part of this is that the public has no idea that they are at risk. Almost every promise to the public outlined in the document above has either failed or been abandoned. There have been no improvements in the working conditions of EMT's, and Paramedics at the "New Improved FDNY*EMS". Every gain that EMS has made since the takeover has been either won through litigation or mandated by state legislation. The simple fact that the City of New York was willing to transfer EMS away from the public hospital system to a Fire Department that has no background in emergency medical care just screams FAIL! I have found that the empty suit in charge of FDNY and almost all of the top Fire Chief's and commissioners are irrational to the point where common sense no longer seems to apply. Everyone in charge at FDNY has their own agenda to the point where FDNY's vision and goals for the future looks like an M.C. Escher drawing. In an ideal world the people in charge of FDNY should be setting goals and acquiring the resources to achieve them. But this is not an ideal world. Since this is FDNY the brass do one of two things. (1) Do Nothing. (2) Do irrational and unproductive things. FDNY seems to reward people who do the latter. They are seen as a can-do boss who makes things happen and they are promoted. Here are some examples of FDNY's defective thought process. FAULTY CAUSE AND EFFECT Example: On the basis of my observations, wearing huge pants makes you fat. TOTAL LOGICAL DISCONNECT Example: I enjoy pasta because my house is made of bricks. ANYTHING YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND IS EASY TO DO Example: If you have the right tools, how hard can it be to generate nuclear fission at home. FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND WHY RULES DON'T HAVE EXCEPTIONS Example: It should be legal to shoplift, as long as you don't take enough to hurt the company's earnings. PROOF BY LACK OF EVIDENCE Example: I have never seen you drunk, so you must be one of those Amish people. BLINDING FLASHES OF THE OBVIOUS Example: If everyone had more money, we could eliminate poverty. JUDGING THE WHOLE BY ONE OF ITS CHARACTERISTICS Example: The sun causes sunburns. Therefore, the planet would be better off without the sun. INCOMPLETENESS AS PROOF OF DEFECT Example: Your theory of gravity doesn't address the question of why there are no unicorns, so it must be wrong. BLAMING THE TOOL Example: I bought an encyclopedia but I'm still stupid. This encyclopedia must be defective. IGNORING THE ADVISE OF EXPERTS WITHOUT A GOOD REASON Example: Sure, the experts think you shouldn't ride you bicycle into a tree, but I have my own theory. HALLUCINATIONS OF REALITY Example: I got my facts from a talking goat. Now, you are probably saying to yourself that this is a FDNY management issue and has nothing to do with EMS. That is far from the truth. The gross incompetence at FDNY affects everyone at EMS. FDNY fails because of this type of thinking. Do you want to see what the management process (aka FDNY logic) is like at FDNY? Read this list below. This is why FDNY's boat sails in a circle. |
01) Prioritize all tasks and projects equally.
02) Delay action on major and minor projects then make snap decisions.
03) Set arbitrary deadlines and stick to them.
04) Keep "top level" information to yourself and deluge staffers with innumerable details.
05) Publish standard operating procedures that are neither standard nor the procedure.
06) Involve subordinates in the decision making process by having them attend a merry-go-round of unrelated meetings.
07) Maintain an atmosphere of crisis.
08) Recognize best practices by ignoring them, they'll go away.
09) Stratify management and encourage bureaucracy.
10) Create a "culture of meetings".
11) Base critical decisions upon incomplete or inaccurate information.
12) Embrace the status quo. Decay is preferable to change.
13) Lavish praise on minor accomplishments.
14) Silently live by the motto, "No policy is the best policy."
15) Keep the rumor trade busy by not stating objectives.
16) Publish costly, colorful, and content-free internal bulletins.
17) Encourage "round-table" discussions then dominate them and dismiss disagreement.
02) Delay action on major and minor projects then make snap decisions.
03) Set arbitrary deadlines and stick to them.
04) Keep "top level" information to yourself and deluge staffers with innumerable details.
05) Publish standard operating procedures that are neither standard nor the procedure.
06) Involve subordinates in the decision making process by having them attend a merry-go-round of unrelated meetings.
07) Maintain an atmosphere of crisis.
08) Recognize best practices by ignoring them, they'll go away.
09) Stratify management and encourage bureaucracy.
10) Create a "culture of meetings".
11) Base critical decisions upon incomplete or inaccurate information.
12) Embrace the status quo. Decay is preferable to change.
13) Lavish praise on minor accomplishments.
14) Silently live by the motto, "No policy is the best policy."
15) Keep the rumor trade busy by not stating objectives.
16) Publish costly, colorful, and content-free internal bulletins.
17) Encourage "round-table" discussions then dominate them and dismiss disagreement.
| This website should serve as a warning to the public and all other independent EMS systems across the globe. Be wary of Fire Departments who tell your ambulance service and your citizens that they will help streamline your EMS system. These Fire Departments who want to come riding to the rescue of your EMS service should be viewed with the utmost suspicion. Before we were taken over by FDNY we had some members of EMS who viewed FDNY riding to our "rescue" as a white night on a horse. However those of us who were smart realized the Grim Reaper also rode a horse. It turns out FDNY was the Grim Reaper and the "merger" was our Waterloo. FDNY EMS died on March 17, 1996. If you are a member of an EMS system you should read this website carefully. If you do not listen to our story and heed our words you may suffer our fate. |
Always remember FDNY's nine rules of management.
01) FDNY is always right...even when they are stupid.
02) The physical laws of time and space were meant to be broken.
03) The problem isn't a lack of EMS resources it is a lack of meetings.
04) When in doubt ask for status reports.
05) Low morale is caused by character flaws in the EMS workforce.
06) Employee illness is a manifestation of laziness.
07) Abuse is a form of recognition, and recognition is what every EMS worker wants.
08) Pretend to care...learn how to hear without listening.
09) Give empty promises of promotion - enjoy all the motivational benefits with none of the costs.
01) FDNY is always right...even when they are stupid.
02) The physical laws of time and space were meant to be broken.
03) The problem isn't a lack of EMS resources it is a lack of meetings.
04) When in doubt ask for status reports.
05) Low morale is caused by character flaws in the EMS workforce.
06) Employee illness is a manifestation of laziness.
07) Abuse is a form of recognition, and recognition is what every EMS worker wants.
08) Pretend to care...learn how to hear without listening.
09) Give empty promises of promotion - enjoy all the motivational benefits with none of the costs.