The chief of the city’s EMS was abruptly demoted tonight – becoming the first head to roll because of the city’s disastrous response to the crippling blizzard, sources told The NY Post.

Chief John Peruggia, who has served as head of the Emergency Medical Services Command, was replaced by a 25-yearveteran of the Fire Department, which is in charge of EMS.

Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano said Peruggia will stay in a “new role to be determined.”

But sources told The Post Peruggia was unceremoniously dumped because of the inadequate response of EMS during the Dec. 26 storm, when ambulances got stuck in the 20-inch snow and there 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 Joe Bruno.

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 with a 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 pay grade,” Bahnken groused.

In the storm’s aftermath, the city was deluged with 49,478 calls to 911 – the sixth-largest volume in history, 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 to four stars.

The following press release was emailed to YWN by the FDNY:

Fire Commissioner Salvatore J. Cassano announced on Jan. 5 that Abdo Nahmod, a 25-year veteran of the Department, has been appointed Chief of FDNY’s Emergency Medical Service Command effective immediately.

“Chief Nahmod has shown tremendous dedication to this Department and to the people of New York City throughout a long and distinguished career,” Commissioner Cassano said. “With an advanced degree in Homeland Security he earned earlier this year and several years overseeing FDNY’s Emergency Medical Dispatch, he will continue our mission of providing New York with the best Emergency Medical Service available anywhere.”

For the past three years, Chief Nahmod has served as a Deputy Assistant Chief overseeing Emergency Medical Dispatch.  He grew up in Beirut, Lebanon, and moved to Paris with his family in 1967.  Two years later, they immigrated to the United States, where he went on to study health science at the College of Staten Island. 

While in school, he worked for six years with a volunteer ambulance company in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn before joining the city Emergency Medical Service as an EMT in 1986. 

Over the years, he was promoted up through the ranks and, as a Captain, was tapped to head the first combined Fire-EMS station in Rossville, Staten Island.  He was promoted to Deputy Chief in 2004 and served as Staten Island Borough Commander before being promoted to Chief of Emergency Medical Dispatch in 2008. 

Chief Nahmod earned a Master’s degree in Homeland Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security in Monterey, Calif., in March.  He was recognized five times during his career for meritorious service.

“Emergency Medicine, for me, has always been a calling, not a job, and the Fire Department has given me the opportunity to fulfill this calling,” said Chief Nahmod. “I couldn’t be happier to take on the important role of overseeing the world’s greatest Emergency Medical Service and I’m honored to have the opportunity.”

Chief Nahmod replaces Chief John Peruggia, who has served as head of EMS Command for the past six years and will continue his career with the Department in a new role to be determined.

Commissioner Cassano is elevating the Chief of EMS position from three to four stars in recognition of the growing stature and importance of the EMS Command, which responded to a record 1.26 million calls last year.

“I created the first strategic plan for EMS last year to focus on further improving the service we provide to New Yorkers,” Commissioner Cassano said.  “We have made some changes and, despite Chief Peruggia’s dedicated service to this Department, I felt new leadership was needed at this time.  Last week’s blizzard presented tremendous challenges for the Department that are currently being addressed with an eye toward improving performance going forward.”

(YWN Desk – NYC / NY Post)