Mayor Bill de Blasio has made the same grave error as Chicago’s Lori Lightfoot by forcing a vaccine mandate on city workers. This includes fire departments, police departments, and other emergency services like EMS.

This is especially bad new for the New York City Fire Department, which stands to lose a little over one-third of its overall man power and 20% of its fire companies. The loss of these firefighters would significantly increase the amount of time it takes to respond to a fire. That’s the difference between only a room burning versus an entire house. It’s a life and death calculation.

Firefighters in NYC warning New Yorkers of the vaccine mandate consequences. pic.twitter.com/Y9nEpeWuWV

— Karol Markowicz (@karol) October 27, 2021

For those firefighters who did get the vaccine, it’s just as much of a punishment. Due to the shortage stemming from dictatorial policy, any time off that was planned after November 1 is canceled with consequences if the firefighters proceed with their vacations. The New York City Fire Department is also reportedly forcing the firefighters to work overtime. As one of them pointed out, “That means we’ll lose another 10% who get injured or sick from 80-hour work weeks.”

Last week, New York City workers held a protest march organized by the fire department. But Mayor de Blasio isn’t worried. He bloviated: “Well, the vast majority of human beings go to work to get paid. And also, I think for a lot of our first responders, there’s a calling. They believe in the work. They care about the work.” In other words, it’s a Hobson’s choice. They’ll be coerced into going because they need a paycheck and because they don’t have the heart to leave.

The New York Police Department also is facing a substantial loss in personnel due to the vaccine mandates — at least a quarter of the force. Some precincts though stand to lose half their staff. One source told the New York Post, “A possible scenario for Sunday night is [unvaccinated] cops at the Halloween detail will turn into pumpkins at midnight and have to walk away from their assignments.”

Both the police and fire departments are struggling to make contingency plans to protect the city in the face of these staffing losses.

Vaccine mandates are exacerbating problems all across the country. They’re diminishing our healthcare workers. They’re also destroying businesses, most notably Southwest Airlines, which has lost pilots, flight attendants, and air traffic controllers to sick-ins. As of October 21, Southwest Airlines is not planning on firing its frustrated workers who refuse to get vaccinated even though the airline is a government contractor.

This war against the unvaxxed is stripping away essential workers who, all last year, were lauded as the heroes. Mayors Lightfoot and de Blasio are playing a dangerous and manipulative game. They have decided to use the lives and safety of their constituents as leverage to force first responders, city workers, and healthcare providers to comply with the vaccine mandates. This is not freedom but outright tyranny.