Residents of the Queens neighborhoods served by the new FDNY probie who made the grade despite failing a key fitness test said Wednesday they feel as if they’re in the line of fire.
“Fires happen very often in this area,” said Jay Charriez, 44, who has lived near Engine Co. 259 on Greenpoint Avenue for 15 years. “It’s an industrial area, so it’s really dangerous.”
Other Sunnyside and Long Island City residents also were wary of Rebecca Wax, 33, who graduated Tuesday from the city’s Fire Academy, despite flunking the Functional Skills Training test, a grueling obstacle course of tasks performed in full gear with limited air.
Wax was allowed to graduate after FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro announced rule changes giving less weight to the test.
“She shouldn’t be a firefighter if she can’t meet the standards,” said another neighbor, Asjad Butt, 21. “There are other things she could do.”