blizzard of 2010

Head of Emergency Medical Services Gets Demoted for Snowmageddon

In a sudden late-night decision, Chief John Peruggia has just been replaced as the head of the Emergency Medical Services Command. According to the New York Post, the demotion stems from EMS’s unsatisfactory response to the December 26 blizzard (thousands were kept waiting by the 911 backlog, and several died when ambulances got stuck in the snow), as well as a conflict-of-interest case involving Peruggia’s friendship with a defibrillator vendor. Peruggia is the first city official to be penalized for the blizzard, though likely not the last. His replacement will be an as-yet-unidentified “25-year veteran of the Fire Department.” [NYP]

Head of Emergency Medical Services Demoted for Snowmageddon