Man Passed Out In FDNY Uniform Caught On Tape

The city's fire department is investigating after a man dressed in a firefighter's uniform was caught passed out on a Brooklyn stoop by a tenant trying to get into the building in the early morning hours after Saint Patrick's Day. NY1's Jeanine Ramirez filed the following report. Windsor Terrace resident Lauren Hill says she used her Blackberry to record what she found on her stoop around 3 a.m. Thursday -- a man in a firefighter's uniform passed out cold, snoring and shoeless. "His head was leaning towards the door so the key was right above him so I did attempt to open the door and see if I can get in but that was to no avail. I was really having difficulty opening the door. He really needed to be out of the way," Hill said. Hill did not want to appear on camera because she says she's a city employee. She tells NY1 she tried to nudge him several times but then feared he might awaken in an angry state. "I called 911 and I was like 'I have to go to the bathroom and someone is blocking my door I can't get in,'" Hill said. Hill says the operator's first response was "Is he homeless?" But she described he was dressed in uniform, though she couldn't see his name. The FDNY tells NY1 it cannot confirm if the man is with the department, saying the picture is not clear enough and that the uniform is worn by retired firefighters and EMS, meaning he may not necessarily be an active member. "I haven't seen the video but it's something I would look at. It's not something I would expect of a firefighter in uniform. It's not something we stand for. But I haven't seen it yet," said Fire Commissioner Sal Cassano. Meanwhile, Hill says 911 dispatched police officers to her home to deal with the situation. "They lifted him up and he came to but he still wasn't really coherent and he was like 'I'm good, I'm good. I'm okay. I'm okay,'" Hill said. The New York City Police Department could not confirm the events. Residents in the building say they were sleeping when it was all taking place. "It probably looks really bad on the officer in uniform but it was Saint Patty's Day so I hope he had a good time," said building tenant Martin Andrew. "I guess he thought he was home. I don't know," said building tenant Lawrence Hill. The fire commissioner says if it is determined the man is an active member of the department, disciplinary measures could follow.