60 New Lieutenants
FDNY Promotes 36 As Chief Officers

By ARI PAUL

The Fire Department promoted 106 uniformed members on May 11, including a Deputy Assistant Chief, 15 new Deputy Chiefs and 20 new Battalion Chiefs. Sixty of the promotees were new Lieutenants, who were previously firefighters belonging to the Uniformed Firefighters' Association.

STEVE CARBONE: Happy about promotions.

"This is a very large order," said Stephen Carbone, vice president of the Uniformed Fire Officers' Association. "When we see promotions like this, it makes us happy."

Limited Comp Time

Mr. Carbone said the installation of 36 new chief officers was a step forward in solving staffing shortages and a problem using compensatory time that has resulted.

Chief fire officers do not receive overtime pay, Mr. Carbone explained. Instead, when they volunteer to teach anti-terrorism classes or participate in other activities outside their normal schedule, they are supposed to receive time off.

But since 9/11, chief officers have told the union that they have been unable to receive their compensatory time. Mr. Carbone said that this was because the department lacked the necessary staff to cover their usual assignments.

UFOA spokesman Martin Steadman said that in the past if a Deputy Chief took a day off, a Battalion Chief would replace him. Battalion Chiefs have had problems receiving compensatory time off in these cases as well, according to the union.

"We'd rather have a real Deputy Chief," Mr. Steadman said. The union recently filed a grievance on the behalf of Deputy Chiefs who did recovery work along the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast and have yet to receive the time off to which they were entitled, said Mr. Carbone.

'Need to Over-Promote'

"The only way we see as a solution to the compensatory time problem for Battalion Chiefs and Deputy Chiefs is to over-promote in both ranks," he said.

Richard S. Tobin was named a new Deputy Assistant Chief.

The new Deputy Chiefs are Michael J. Puzziferri, John A. Jonas, Roger W. Sakowich, John T. Mooney, Rocco A. Rinaldi, Richard J. Alles, Stephen G. Moro, Michael W. Mullins, Peter J. Hart, James J. Riches, Robert J. Strong, Michael Halderman, Robert J. Boyce Jr., Paul D. Mannix and Nicholas Delre.

Upgraded from Captain to Battalion Chief were Patrick J. Ginty, Joseph F. Viglietta Jr., Michael V. Meyers, Lawrence Nostramo, Terence M. Cashin, John P. Vaughan, Christopher J. Joyce, Vincent P. Mosca, Peter J. McGrath, Joseph A. Harris, Domenick T. Caleri, John A. Gregorio, Charles W. Lamberta, Christopher J. Lennon, Lawrence P. Hyland, James P. Maloney, Patrick J. Lyons, Raymond D. Sessa, Michael F. Gala Jr. and James A. Butler.

Seven New Captains

The new Captains are John V. Holfester, Harold J. Gumb, Francis J. Burke, Timothy J. Gimpel, James J. Carney, Stephen Campenella and Matthew V. O'Hanlon.

Promoted to Lieutenant were: Daniel W. Stanton, Nicholas E. Lucenti, Michael J. Steck, Richard J. Blasi, Timothy M. Johnston, Robert P. Murray, Christopher J. Gogarty, James H. O'Connor, Glenn F. Fischer, James P. Miller, Jeffrey P. Meister, Joseph N. Farinacci, William Cutrone, John A. Murphy, Ralph Fabiani, James M. Montaruli, Shaun W. Keenan, Ian J. Bennett, Vincent R. Tretola;

Brian Deery, Kenneth J. Scanlon, Frank S. Gissi, Thomas Burke, Peter M. Traut, Michael R. Mason, John M. Flaherty, Kevin G. Duggan, Michael S. McCall, Anthony J. Pascocello Jr., Scott D. Cassese, James D. Botta, William P. McDonough, Michael J. Ryan, Michael P. Accardi, Scott A. Duryea, Thomas J. Marino, James D'Addesa, Thomas A. Renda, Jonathan D. Lustig;

Thomas V. Mangus Jr., Albert G. Kessner, Louis P. Demontreux, Glen R. O'Connor, Raymond J. Diaz, Edmund W. Galiani, Daniel O'Connor, Brian J. Connelly, Thomas S. McBreen, Thomas V. Mooney, Michael J. Callanan, John J. Leanza, Joseph R. Miller, Brian P. McMahon, Gary E. Vanpelt, Steve Griffith, Michael A. Mercurio, Paul Agruso Jr., Daniel T. Keane, Peter J. O'Connor and Jon Paul Augier.

Promoted to Fire Marshal was Carmine J. Jichetti Jr. and to Marine Engineer was Donald G. Panettiere.

Thomas M. Jensen was promoted to a training Deputy Assistant Chief position.

"I feel great," said Mr. Holfester, who was promoted to Captain in Division 14 in Queens after working 4-1/2 years as a Lieutenant at Engine 248 in Brooklyn. "It was a lot of tough work studying."