In an angry and misguided attempt to prove the worth of his firehouse on City Island, an FDNY firefighter allegedly made a string of calls reporting non-existent fires in the Bronx.
Nicholas Vrettos, 30, was arrested for reporting a fire in a school cafeteria near his firehouse, which is just a few blocks from his City Island home, according to the New York Post. Engine Company 53/Ladder Company 43--El Barrio's Bravest--in the Bronx is one of a few firehouses that faces reduced overnight staffing as part of a series of service cutbacks that city officials claimed were necessary because of a growing budget deficit.
It is possible that Vrettos feared he'd be transferred from his firehouse and lose his easy commute in the quiet community of City Island, which resembles a New England fishing village more than a neighborhood in the Bronx. Co-workers at Engine Company 53/Ladder Company 43 said they've been instructed not to comment on the charges against Vrettos, but told CBS2 "I work with him, but I have nothing else to say. ...He's a great guy. He's a nice guy."
Vrettos is a six-year veteran of the FDNY and earns $85,000 annually, according to The Daily News. He could face seven years in prison if convicted of falsely reporting an incident.
Impending budget cuts announced last month call for the elimination of night shifts at engine companies that also have ladder companies. FDNY brass insist that the cuts will allow those houses to remain open, but firefighters and critics have objected, claiming that shift cuts will imperil their safety and the communities they serve.
