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Head Of FDNY-EMS Demoted After Storm Fiasco(Wednesday, January 5th, 2011)The chief of the city’s EMS was abruptly demotedtonight – becoming the first head to roll because ofthe city’s disastrous response to the cripplingblizzard, sources told The NY Post.Chief John Peruggia, who has served as head of theEmergency Medical Services Command, wasreplaced by a 25-yearveteran of the FireDepartment, which is in charge of EMS.Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano said Peruggiawill stay in a “new role to be determined.”But sources told The Post Peruggia was unceremoniously dumped because of the inadequateresponse of EMS during the Dec. 26 storm, when ambulances got stuck in the 20-inch snow andthere was a 1,300-call backlog in the 911 system.Peruggia told aides that Mayor Bloomberg was especially angry over the 911 backlog, a source said.He may not be the only storm casualty.Sources said Bloomberg is also furious at Office of Emergency Management commissioner JoeBruno.But a mayoral spokesman insisted Bruno was not being fired.Peruggia’s problems also stemmed from a conflict of interest case, sources said – he took a trip witha vendor that makes defibrillators, and could face a fine of $12,000.Still, EMS union head Pat Bahnken suggested there were bigger fish to fry.“I’m sure Cassano … will find there were certain choices made that went beyond an EMS chief’s paygrade,” Bahnken groused.In the storm’s aftermath, the city was deluged with 49,478 calls to 911 – the sixth-largest volume inhistory, resulting in a backlog of 1,300 calls on Dec. 27.Peruggia will be replaced by Abdo Nahmod, whose new position will also be elevated from three tofour stars.The following press release was emailed to YWN by the FDNY:Page 149 of 157