Following the Thanksgiving holiday, Utica fire Chief Russell Brooks will take the city to court.
Brooks has sought to be recognized by the city for compensatory benefits due to a medical condition he says is a product of his response to ground zero in New York City following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
The city has rejected his applications for benefits through General Municipal Law 207-a, which outlines workers compensation benefits for firefighters, and General Municipal Law 92-d, which grants sick leave for responders diagnosed with a qualified World Trade Center-related condition. The regulations, amending the existing 92-d statute, recently were signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in September.