By Alexander MacInnes
Herald News
Copyright 2007 North Jersey Media Group Inc.,
All Rights Reserved
PATERSON, N.J. — Isaac Feliciano was 4½ years old when his life was saved by a firefighter. He now wants to join that profession in the hopes he can do the same one day.
Feliciano, who lost part of his leg when he was 6 after developing gangrene from spinal meningitis, is fighting the city for that chance. Determined to become a firefighter in his hometown, Feliciano is appealing the city’s 2006 decision to pass him over for other applicants.
“I remain confident,” Feliciano said Monday. “With the speed bumps I endure, I use that as motivation to keep working hard, and perseverance. That’s what I practice, and I don’t let anything get me down.”
Last April, Feliciano was denied a job by the city, based on a medical report that stated Feliciano “was not physically capable of sustaining the labors and exposures” of the job, according to a statement released by Mayor Jose “Joey” Torres on Monday.
The city based its decision on a report from a medical consultant in charge of conducting the medical examination and also on fire industry standards set by the National Fire Protection Association.
Feliciano’s attorney William Maniatis disputes those findings, saying his client is in great shape and could perform his duties, if given a chance. “The documents that have been provided to me by the New Jersey Department of Personnel don’t show any factual indication of an inability by Isaac to perform the required task of a firefighter,” Maniatis said Monday. “In fact, he was ranked 103 from more than 600 applicants (on the physical examination). It proves that not only can he do it, he can do it better than 80 percent that were tested.”
Torres declined to comment beyond his statement.
Battling stereotypes and doubters his whole life, Feliciano always competed in sports, playing football and baseball for Passaic County Technical Institute. Later, he would run the 100-meter event at the 2004 Paralympics competition for disabled athletes in Athens, Greece.
On Wednesday he will appeal the city’s decision with the state Department of Personnel.
Until then, Feliciano continues to keep his spirits up about his prospects. “Basically, that is the ultimate job, to give back to your community and have an awesome job,” Feliciano said. “It’s the best of both worlds.”
David Dunville, the national director for the Amputee Firefighter Association in Michigan — and an amputee former firefighter himself — said that about 100 amputees are currently fighting to get their public safety jobs back after on- and off-duty accidents. Dunville said his group has 459 members, which includes law enforcement and emergency workers.
He said the NFPA standard Paterson used to deny Feliciano is being misused around the country in the same way.
“Those standards do not apply when it comes to prosthetics,” Dunville said. “A prosthetic takes far more abuse than the body part that was replaced.”
Dunville added that there are success stories of firefighters coming back after an amputation, from Florida to California. He had a simple message for Feliciano: “Don’t give up, plain and simple. You’re showing more heart and care for your community than many people would.”