Stamford, Conn.: Uniformed Firefighters Association President Andrew Ansbro is absolutely right to call for firefighters’ equipment to be decontaminated immediately after exposure to lithium-ion battery fires (“Fear battery blazes”, February 26).
The City has a non-negotiable duty to do everything possible to protect New York’s bravest with the highest quality firefighting tools available. With the proliferation of lithium-ion battery fires, the long-term damage from chemical exposure is just as threatening as the dangers of firefighting itself. The least we can do for the heroes protecting their citizens from the danger of fire is to provide them with the best possible protocols.
I got a new respect for New York’s bravest when I saw a fire crew in action a few weeks ago on E. 63rd St. in Manhattan. The bravery displayed was extraordinary. As fire literally shot out of the top of a tenement building, a firefighter climbed a ladder into the flames to protect those in danger. The fire team executed their mission with military precision and incredible coordination.
These men and women made me proud. They deserve all the support available. Firefighters routinely put their lives on the line and it should be routine for the FDNY to provide whatever support they request to perform their job with maximum safety. This should not be controversial. FDNY Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh should listen to Ansbro and do what she asks, plain and simple! Peter Janoff
Manhattan: Why all the fuss about the LIRR’s long-awaited East Side Access project? It was determined long ago that there was a demand for such a service. That need was met with the offer. Understandably, such an undertaking required a renewal of the train timetable service which will be modified as necessary. Just once, I’d like to hear Valley Stream’s Dashing Dan philosophically opine, “Well, if it’s for the greater good, I’ll put a big H on my chest and handle it.” What a bunch of dairy cows! aydin torun
Staten Island: I ask you: How can the NYPD, especially Pat Lynch, who represents the police union, call themselves a brotherhood? A brotherhood would stand together for every law enforcement officer in any city and state. When DC police officers were crushed, especially Brian Sicknick of New Jersey, who was beaten so badly by Trump supporters that he died in the hospital, did Lynch or any New York police unite and denounce the violence? No. They represent Donald Trump, a president who watched it all on TV and did nothing but say how much he loves his supporters. Months after every House Democrat and just two Republicans called DC officers heroes, Kevin McCarthy and Mitch McConnell didn’t even meet with Sicknick’s mother. Are these the so-called leaders you endorse? Marcos Tarasiewicz
Auburn, Mass.: You call yourself a newspaper, a magazine with up-to-date information. You don’t have a headline or a story about the Tucker Carlson January 6 tapes. You can ignore it. Bring water for the illegal and ill-advised January 6th Committee, but I’m done with you. Russia, Russia, Russia. R. Palmieri
Newtown, PA: To SE Cupp: Unfortunately, readers of your column “Fox’s Carlson Keeps Cult High on Lies” (March 8) will also not get the full story, as will the American people the full story during the hearings on March 6 January due to selective editing. But when Carlson attends his hearing, is it “anger entertainment”? Funny. Come on, if the committee had done its job in a bipartisan way, and if you did yours with real, unbiased reporting, we could all benefit. Please do better. JW Steen
Scranton, Pennsylvania: If Fox News con man and apologist for the Capitol riots, Tucker Carlson, had been hired by the al Qaeda propaganda network on 9/11, he would have reported the attacks on the United States with hijacked planes as some few overzealous Muslim tourists eager to visit the World Trade Center and the Pentagon who couldn’t wait for their planes to land. So they mischievously commandeered the planes and flew them errantly into a building here and there. Unfortunately, there were victims. But, as with the victims of the pandemic that Donald Trump is unfairly blamed for, they would all have expired one day anyway. The hijackers, er, the tourists, didn’t hate America. Trust me, Tucker Carlson, as I look at you with my confused puppy face. They loved America, just as much as the January 6th tourists who were brought to the Capitol by a few bad Antifa apples! Vin Morabito
The daily news flash
Week days
Catch up on the top five stories of the day every weekday afternoon.
Manhattan: Somebody wake up broadcaster Steven Malichek: The Mueller investigation nabbed six former Trump advisers, 26 Russian nationals, three Russian companies, a California lawyer and another one based in London. The charges included election interference. The investigation recovered more than it cost in tax evaded offshore accounts, and the finding wasn’t “false,” it just wasn’t enough to get an indictment against the Teflon Don. But that could change now that there are several other investigations into Trump, including election interference in Georgia, tax evasion and business fraud in New York, and sexual assault. I’m glad to explain it to you. sam katz
Poughkeepsie, NY: Thanks for listing New York’s top 10 lobbyists (“Top 10 City Speakers Revealed,” March 8). A follow up article on exactly how that money is being spent would be even more enlightening. Which politicians received that money? How much did each politician receive? And most importantly, how did those politicians vote on the lobbyists’ issues? Shirley Freitas
Itasca, Ill.: As an American male, my pronouns are he, he, and his. As someone who works out, he plays the guitar and drives a car, my verbs are walk, strum, play and travel. I like to think of my adjectives as even-tempered, witty, and open-minded. That means I don’t get offended if you use different adjectives to describe me. Because I’ve been known to dangle a participle, split an infinitive, and end a sentence with a preposition, I’m not critical either. I guess that makes me a literary liberal. Understand, however, that my strict adherence to brevity makes me a MAGA (Make America Grammatical Again) conservative. I am delighted to meet you too. jimen newton
Manalapan, NJ: I applaud broadcaster Shirley Forde for condemning Ted Cruz’s abhorrent behavior against Attorney General Merrick Garland. It was pure McCarthyism (Joseph, that is). Cruz’s favorite tactic is to yell and cut up civilian testimony and throw his hate in the witness’s face. He is a trash propagandist of the extreme right. Garland had done nothing wrong and had in fact sent federal marshals to judges’ houses to ensure the safety of the peacefully protesting protesters. None of these judges was ever attacked in public or private. Compare that to the January 6 attack by Cruz’s friends. passerman grass
Manhattan: Every time I see the Literacy Foundation ad, all I can think about is how beautiful the children are. The mom (I could be wrong, but they look just like her) is a very pretty woman. Congratulations to all three for that beautiful photo. vanessa enger
Bronx: Kudos to everyone who mentioned great comics from the past in the Daily News: hosts Michael J. Vassallo, Mary Jo McDonough and Nancy Reilly. Here’s another delicious strip that brings back great memories: “Curtis.” neil dick
Bronx: I think it’s shameful that Mayor Adams keeps pushing to replace New York City’s retiree health insurance coverage with an inferior Medicare Advantage plan, claiming the city can’t afford his current plan while continuing to spend $5 million per day (about $150 million each month) to provide housing, education, and health care to non-citizens who enter the city every day. If the city can see a clear path to providing free healthcare to non-citizens, it is unconscionable to deny retirees the healthcare benefits they were promised and paid for with their hard work. joanne vairo
