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Emergency responders hold strong in NYC transit strike

Lab Safety Advisor, December 27, 2005

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg praised the city's first responders for doing a "great job" during a transit strike that shut down the city's public transportation system and clogged streets with pedestrian and private-vehicle traffic in a stoppage that affected more than 7 million commuters.

The 33,000 transit workers, who went on strike Dec. 20, are calling for a larger pension package and improved healthcare coverage.

Despite these problems, said Bloomberg, city service, during what he termed the Illegal Selfish Strike of 2005, "remains strong." In a public statement on www.nyc.gov, Bloomberg lauded the police department for ably manning checkpoints, securing transit facilities, and directing traffic. The fire department, aware that more congestion could slow response times, increased manning on some engines and put more personnel and equipment in densely populated areas.

Still, emergency responders were dealing with these healthcare crises:

  • the New York Blood Center called a state of emergency
  • calls to 311 set a record, at 240,000
  • home-health aides were delayed in reaching their patients and in supplying essential services and supplies such as oxygen to home-bound patients
  • patients unable to enter the city delayed treatments for chemotherapy and radiation

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