“I really hope that there’s some accountability held for those who were responsible for pushing forward with all of this. Too many wrongs were done. A lot of them still have not been corrected. People need to be made aware that this was wrong, what happened, and a lot of people have been affected.” - O’Brian Pastrana
In this episode of the New York Mandate Podcast, I talk with retired FDNY firefighter O’Brian Pastrana and attorney Sujata Gibson, shortly after Gibson presented oral arguments in his federal appeal against the New York City Fire Department.
Pastrana was retired from the fire department after he developed heart damage following a COVID-19 vaccination he took in compliance with New York City’s 2021 vaccine mandate for municipal workers.
After the June 22, 2026 hearing at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, I sat down with Pastrana, Gibson, and attorney Christina Martinez. Gibson discussed the importance of the case and where it’s headed, and Pastrana talked with me about the profound changes to his life since 2021, the hearing, and his hopes for the future.
Here are some links related to things we talked about during the episode:
You can listen to the full June 22, 2026 hearing where Sujata Gibson presented oral arguments in Pastrana v. New York City Fire Department on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit website.
Bravest for Choice
This organization advocates for NYC firefighters, fire inspectors, and EMS workers who were adversely affected by New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
Attorney Christina Martinez talked with me about the Pastrana case and other lawsuits challenging New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates last year:
About the New York Mandate Podcast
The New York Mandate Podcast is an ongoing series of conversations exploring the costs and consequences of vaccine mandates in New York City. I talk with workers, students, and parents who have been directly affected by the mandates, as well as legal and policy experts.
In late 2021, the City introduced a series of requirements for workers to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. These requirements were put in place through executive orders issued by the administration of former mayor Bill de Blasio. They covered nearly all workers in New York City, in both the public and private sectors. They also barred unvaccinated adults, including parents, from schools.
Mayor Eric Adams kept the mandates in place until November 1, 2022 for the private sector and February 10, 2023 for City workers, and encouraged private employers to put their own vaccine requirements in place.
The views expressed in the New York Mandate podcast are the personal opinions of the people speaking, and are not intended to provide medical or legal advice.
