In response to Janet Wilmoth's editorial, "Saying No to the Boss," published in Command Post on May 13, 2005:

In response to your editorial "saying no to the boss," I would like to let you know that your assessment of the NYPD's ability to handle hazmat and WMD couldn't be more wrong. You may not be aware of the fact the NYPD's Emergency Service Unit has nearly 400 police officers, detectives and supervisors, all of whom are at least Hazmat/WMD Technicians and/or Specialists as well as several hundred COBRA officers assignened to boro task forces trained to the level of hazmat operations -- trained, equipped and capable of performing decon, mitigation, rescue and investigation at any hazmat emergency.

It was these police officers not the FDNY that handled the anthrax attacks on NYC not the FDNY and presently handle  haz mat incidents on a daily basis.

Unlike many other cities in the U.S. the NYPD's ESU perform many rescue functions typically performed by the fire dept. ESU operates 11 large rescue trucks and between 20 and 40 mini rescue trucks per shift citywide. Members of ESU are all trained EMTs or paramedics, trained in high-angle and confined space rescue, vehicle extrication. All members are certified public safety divers, trained as firefighters in addition to their tactical and SWAT duties, and many are members of FEMA NYTF-1 serving as rescue specialists and technical search specialists. It is the only team in the nation with police officers serving in this capacity, which is comprised of 50% NYPD and 50% FDNY.

ESU was formed in 1930 when the FDNY donated a fire truck to the police department and asked the NYPD to handle civilian rescue functions, as it was too heavily burdened fighting fires and its rescue companies were charged with firefighter rescue and assistance. That 1930 Mack fire truck remains on our unit patch to this day. Of the 23 NYPD officers killed on Sept. 11, 2001, 14 were from ESU performing rescues in the towers when they collapsed. So I'd like to inform that the police do much more than put up yellow tape, and in NYC firefighters can and do write parking tickets. Please feel free to contact me at this e-mail address if you need any information on ESU or if I can be of further assistance. Thank you.

Steve Clifford
New York Police Department
NYPDMedic@aol.com