Chief Leader

The hard feelings that seemed to reign in the lead-up to the day produced an untypical spirit of unity among the unions representing firefighters and Emergency Medical Service workers. They found common ground in objecting to the Fire Department's decision to include its ambulance personnel in the ceremonies, rather than confining their medal presentations to a smaller setting last month as part of EMS Week.

Uniformed Firefighters Association President Steve Cassidy and Pat Bahnken, the leader of EMS Local 2507 of District Council 37, both used the word "diminish" to describe the impact the joint Medal Day would have on their members. Tom Eppinger, the president of EMS Local 3621, which represents officers, went a step further by contending that this added insult to the injury of inferior pay and benefits received by EMS employees compared to other uniformed workers by "blending" them into the Fire Department in such a way that "EMS will lose its identity."

The FDNY's top uniformed officer, Chief of Department Sal Cassano, has said he combined the Medal Days to emphasize that both groups are essential pieces of the same department who often work side by side. He also pointed out that they already share an annual memorial ceremony in the fall without complaints that this blurs their distinct identities.

To be sure, there are underlying issues. Mr. Eppinger brought the pay-and-benefits complaint front and center last month in making his objection, and Mr. Bahnken has been no less vocal on that matter on other occasions of late. They have a legitimate grievance on that front, but that is an issue that is going to have to be resolved at the negotiating table and is not going to be affected by whether the unions share a joint Medal Day.

Complaints that EMS workers general receive fewer awards for heroism and exemplary service than firefighters also should not be grounds for maintaining separate services. The nature of firefighting duties has almost always meant that those assigned to ladder companies - who therefore are charged with bringing fire victims to safety - win significantly more medals than those in engine companies whose primary duty is to get water on fires to facilitate such rescues. Engine company workers do not feel slighted by that disparity on Medal Day, and celebrate company members who are honored just as vigorously as their ladder company counterparts do.

There may be the suspicion that the joint day is part of a Fire Department attempt to eventually break down the barrier between the two jobs so that future hires are trained to fully handle the duties of each. But whether that's the case or not, the combined Medal Day should be embraced as an occasion when the FDNY cites all those who have gone beyond the normally vital work that both jobs entail, and gives EMS its share of the larger spotlight.