City Opposed Bill
Veto Requiring Fire Ropes, Harnesses

By GINGER ADAMS OTIS

Governor Pataki for the second year in a row vetoed a bill that would have altered the state's labor law to make the issuance of safety ropes and harnesses to firefighters mandatory.

MAYOR BLOOMBERG: Bill wouldn't help.

The bill, sponsored by Assemblywoman Susan V. John, chair of the Assembly Labor Committee, also called for municipalities to purchase and maintain ropes and harness components in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association's safety and upkeep regulations.

Moved by Mayor's Beef

Although the bill was overwhelmingly approved earlier this summer by the Assembly and Senate, Mr. Pataki said in his July 5 veto message that he was "constrained to disapprove" the measure based on the objections of Mayor Bloomberg.

"I am advised by the Mayor's Office that FDNY is in the final stages of issuing a rope-based personal safety system to its firefighters and training them in the proper use of such equipment," the Governor wrote in his veto message.

"The City ... continues to believe that the bill could frustrate FDNY efforts to ensure the safety of its uniformed personnel. For example, the Mayor's Office believes that the definition of 'system components' in the legislation is overly narrow and could preclude the use of superior safety devices. Moreover, the Mayor's Office advises that the FDNY often adopts standards for its safety equipment that are stricter than those used by the entity designated in the bill," he added.

Concern for Rural Areas

The Governor vetoed a similar bill passed by the Legislature last year for almost identical reasons. He said that purchasing the equipment, training firefighters to use it, and paying for maintenance could be a financial strain on many rural communities, and he noted that many of the elements of the 2005 and 2006 bills were duplicative of legislation already in existence.

An FDNY spokesman said the department was in agreement with City Hall. Uniformed Firefighters' Association officials were unavailable for comment.