Judge: FDNY test results nondiscriminatory

A federal judge in Brooklyn Friday approved as nondiscriminatory the results of a new firefighter test that was given to 41,000 applicants this spring. His decision clears the way for New York City to use it to begin hiring.

U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis, who ordered the new test at the 90-percent-white FDNY, said that among top scorers on the test who are likely to be hired over the next four years, minority hires are projected at "close to the rate" of white candidates.

The city said that 869 EMTs passed the test as a promotional exam and 8,548 other candidates scored 97 or above.

For that group, the ethnic and racial breakdown was 53 percent white, 19.7 percent black, 22.6 percent Hispanic and 3.7 percent Asian -- matching test takers as a whole.

"We are very pleased," said top city lawyer Michael Cardozo.

The test results will be made public Oct. 3, followed by mailings to applicants to inform of their scores.