Mayor Singer: EMS Staffers Won't Be Fired

Amid public anger over a video showing township EMS workers doing doughnuts in the snow with their emergency vehicles, Mayor Robert W. Singer said termination was too severe a penalty that would never hold up in a civil service hearing."I understand the frustration people have today. This is taxpayer money, these are public employees," Singer said at Thursday's committee meeting. "But we have to understand that the punishment has to fit the crime. Let's not overreact to things." The EMS workers were on duty at the time. Their names have not been released.The EMS manager and township attorneys will in the next few days decide on a punishment for the employees, which falls under personnel and won't be made public, Singer said. The mayor added that the employees have a right to appeal the decision. "No one was hurt, none of the vehicles were damaged and the individuals have no priors," Singer said. "Those put together, there's no way you could fire those people." At least one resident shared the mayor's views. "They made a mistake; think about it, we all make mistakes," John Newman, 75, said at the meeting. "Let's give these guys a break. They've done a lot of good for this community." app./TLS-60