Firefighter Retires With Department's Biggest Pension EVER

The FDNY's First Deputy Commissioner, Frank Cruthers, 63, has been awarded a tax-free disability pension worth an estimated $242,000 annually for the rest of his life. A source tells the Post that Cruthers's disability doesn't stop him from playing golf every week, but the FDNY Pension Fund board of trustees approved his "line-of-duty pension" last week, supposedly because of a knee injury.

Those with knowledge of the pension decision say Cruthers "was awarded the line-of-duty pension for an 'orthopedic injury' involving his knee after a three-member medical board referred him to an outside orthopedist, who agreed he deserved it." According the Post, the FDNY's medical board typically retains an outside specialist when the board cannot unanimously agree on whether the firefighter deserves the disability pension. Because of the line-of-duty designation, at least $150,000 of Cruthers's pension will be tax exempt.

Cruthers can also look forward to a lump-sum payment worth up to a year's salary for hundreds of hours of unused compensatory time. (He previously earned $201,020 a year.) One FDNY official tells the Post, "This is what the law entitles him to receive. You don't have to be in an iron lung to be considered disabled." Another anonymous FDNY insider says, "Cruthers' pension is definitely the largest FDNY pension ever, and it is almost certainly the highest pension ever awarded to any member of the city's unformed services." Incidentally, the FDNY was established on this day in 1865.

Charles Brecher at the Citizens Budget Commission contends Cruthers' pension was "a very dramatic illustration of the generosity and unsustainability of the pension system that has been created for uniformed workers." When asked about Cruthers yesterday, Bloomberg told reporters, "I believe we have an obligation to honor those pensions that were made for existing city employees. But I don't think we have any obligation and don't think we can afford to continue to offer those to future people that we hire down the road."

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By John Del Signore in News on March 31, 2010 11:16 AM

Comments [rss]

mikesea

I hope he gets Social Security Disability too.The guy was 'ON THE JOB"long before the city was forced to provide masks and other safety tools.Most Firefighters that put that much time in are long dead ,and had little time to ENJOY their hard earned retirement.There is no talk of the pensions that died early ,with the firefighters whom died long before their time.

Greenpoint60

A lot of these guys ruin themselves with booze & cigaretts, blame the job and get a dept doctor to give them a disability pension.

just saying

Marty Golden, NY State Senator from Brooklyn, also retired with a tax-free disability pension from the NYPD.

(For what it's worth, Golden also appears to be in better physical condition than many of the people who voted for him.)

Stephenson Billings

Will it be adjusted for inflation? Wow, that could be incredibly expensive 25 years down the road when this guy is still living it up in Florida.

rfid4dna

This is excessive. Nobody needs a tax exempt pension of a quarter mil annually. That's more than the POTUS makes. Don't firefighters also get health benefits in retirement?

inoyourider

Way too much.

The fact that he can still play golf doesn't mean shit.

He was a firefighter, not Tiger woods.

fishfryin

bloomberg is right on this one. it's not like cruthers is a bad guy or cheating the system; he's getting what he signed up for and worked hard at. good for him. that said, it's ridiculous that people ever thought arrangements like this were sustainable.

JZ-man

The guy earned the money, I guess, but why tax exempt?

Rocknrope

Nice life if you can get it. He's older, and firefighting is a dangerous line of work. If I could get a quarter million in retirement in a job working with my hands instead of sitting on my ass all day, I'd do it.

wildone458

Compare that pension to what a banker makes in their first couple years on the job.

Jim

A starting banker makes about 140-160k including bonus. What is your point?

Splicer

I'll compare it to what I make working in media in NYC after 20 years. My yearly salary would be this guys lotto money.

Greenpoint60

ho hum, this is nothing new, its been going on for years.

Kojak

A Tax exempt pension? We're talking $350+ Gross if it was taxed.

That's insane.

MT

I'm torn. It seems outrageous, but the guy did put his life on the line every day.

Spirit of 76

Actually, he didn't. He was First Deputy Commissioner. Something tells me he's been riding a desk rather than a fire engine for at least 20 years.

drewo

Disability is the dream scenario of every city worker.

drewo

but the guy did put his life on the line every day.

No, he went to work every day. Like most of us. But we won't be retiring with tax free taxpayer-funded benefits.