Steve Kuhr.
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AP:
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has fired his $153,000-a-year emergency management director for diverting a crew to remove a tree from his Long Island home’s driveway after Superstorm Sandy hit, a state official said Wednesday.
Director of Emergency Management Steven Kuhr was fired after the governor was told that Kuhr called a Suffolk County crew to remove a fallen tree from his driveway, according to the official. Kuhr was working in Albany at the time last week, shortly after Sandy hit.
The official spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the personnel decision wasn’t announced. A spokesman for Cuomo declined to comment. The New York Times first reported the action (click here for New York Times story) .
Cuomo appointed Kuhr in October 2011 as executive deputy commissioner of the state Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.
There was no answer at Kuhr’s office Wednesday night and a phone number listed in his name was not working.
The action comes as Cuomo has bitterly criticized utilities for what he said has been slow progress restoring power to customers from the Hudson Valley through Long Island. Most of the power has been restored to more than 2 million customers who lost electricity because of Sandy, though lights started flickering off again Wednesday night as a new storm raked the region.
Kuhr previously was president of Strategic Emergency Group, a consulting firm that had contracts with New York City, the state and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, according to the news release announcing his appointment. Kuhr had also worked for New York City for 20 years including with the fire department.
Copyright ©2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Also on STATter911 …
- FDNY & others tweet through the night … a very rough night. Social media, both a beacon in the storm & one that can lead the public & the news media astray. – October 30, 2012
- New Jersey stinks! Delaware, Maryland & Pennsylvania offended. 911 gets lots of calls. – February 24, 2012
- UPDATED: PGFD says fire that hurt seven firefighters was arson. New picture from burn unit of Bladensburg VFD’s Kevin O’Toole. – February 29, 2012
- You be the judge – Sandy Part 2: NJ fire department handles fallout after dealing with firefighters who responded on their own to storm. – December 1, 2012
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Would love to know the details on this one. Particularly, if it’s a “hey, can that crew swing by here, and help me cut and move a tree, so I can get my vehicle out, and get on the road to start my duties” instance.
That said, in the eyes of a judgmental public, would that even matter?
Had I read the story more closely, I would see some of those details right there and in front of my eyes! Not at home when storm struck…
He got exactly what he deserved.People are suffering up there and he thinks he can do anything with no repercussions.
He is in Albany working. I’ll bet family in LI, alone. There is nothing wrong with sending a crew to check on home. We do it all the time. You cannot focus on work if your family is in trouble.
I guess when he was hired, common sense was not a requirement?
Good job gov.
Just guessing, but this judgment call might not be highlighted in his next job application.
This guy was a career political hack. He worked as a suit for the old N.Y.C. Health & Hospitals Corp. run E.M.S. It says he also worked for the F.D.. If that’s so, it was at the end of his time with E.M.S. when the Mayor merged E.M.S. with the F.D.N.Y..
What a maroon!
Don’t worry thought, he’ll land another job on the public payroll sooner or later.