New York City Fire Department (FDNY)

It is safe to donate blood, and we encourage healthy individuals to donate so that blood is available for those patients who need it. Our blood collection sites... are disinfected frequently, and we are taking extra precautions to help prevent the person-to-person spread of COVID-19 as per CDC recommendations. We screen our donors for infectious disease risks and let donors know in advance that they should not come to the blood collection site to donate if they have a fever or other symptoms of COVID-19. Learn more about donating at this time: smarturl.it/NYBC_COVIDFB See more

The Department is mourning the loss of Emergency Medical Technician Evelyn Ford, 58, from COVID-19. EMT Ford was a 27-year veteran of EMS. As a member assigned to Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD), she served as citywide dispatcher, coordinating emergency medical response to large scale emergencies including major fires and mass casualty incidents. On the day we begin to vaccinate our EMS members from this deadly virus, it has once again taken one of our own. EMT Evelyn Ford... is the twelfth member of the Department to die due to COVID-19, said Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro. For nearly three decades, EMT Ford was a member of the busiest and best Emergency Medical Service in the world. She was a professional medical provider who responded to help those in need on countless calls, and she was a calm voice during major emergencies ensuring New Yorkers received the urgent care they needed. Our entire Department mourns her loss. A resident of Long Island, EMT Ford was a highly respected member of EMD and a mentor to hundreds of her fellow EMTs. She also served as an EMT in Station 31 in Brooklyn during her career. She is survived by her four children.

The COVID-19 vaccine is here. It’s SAFE. It’s EFFECTIVE. It’s FREE.... It will be for ALL New Yorkers. The mission has begun, and we’re already vaccinating health care workers at TWICE the rate of the rest of the country. Let’s do this, #NYC.

I’ve always wanted to do this job. Our instructors were great and they prepared us to go out and help this city. It’s the best training in the world. My dad was an FDNY Firefighter and he was my hero growing up. He loved this job and I always saw how happy he was. The FDNY has been a part of my family since I was little so joining this Department only seemed natural. If I could be half the Firefighter my father was I’ll be happy with that. I know he would be proud of me, sa...ys FDNY Probationary Firefighter Royce Engeldrum, who is one of six Probationary Firefighters graduating today. Probationary Firefighter Engeldrum is the son of FDNY Firefighter Christian Engeldrum, Ladder 61, a five-and-a-half-year veteran of the Department and Sergeant in the U.S. Army National Guard who was killed on November 29, 2004 while on active duty in Baghdad, Iraq. While supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, his military vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. Firefighter Engeldrum was also one of the hundreds of Firefighters to respond to the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. He was the first city employee to die in Iraq. See more

Working smoke and CO alarms save lives, and changing your clocks at the end of daylight saving time is a great reminder to also check that your alarms are installed and working properly. Join the FDNY Fire Safety Education Unit at events in all five boroughs from October 26th-31st to learn #FDNYSmart tips to help keep you and your family safe. See flyer for times and locations near you. For online tips, visit fdnysmart.org

Working smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms save lives, and changing your clocks at the end of daylight saving time this Sunday is a great reminder to also check that your alarms will give you an early warning signal that something is wrong. Join Captain Michael Kozo from the FDNY Fire Safety Education Unit and Gale A. Brewer, Manhattan Borough President, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Eric Adams, Staten Island USA Borough President James Oddo, and Queens Borough President Sharon Lee as they teach New Yorkers how to ensure that your alarms are installed and working properly. See more #FDNYSmart tips to help keep you and your family safe at fdnysmart.org/connect

Planning your Halloween costume? Think about a costume that includes a face covering be a doctor, nurse, cowboy, masked bandit or a 2020 New Yorker! Or buy or... make a face covering with a mustache, mouth or other image on it that’s part of your costume. More tips for celebrating Halloween safely: https://on.nyc.gov/3jl1th3

On Tuesday, December 22, FDNY Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro presided over a Probationary Firefighter graduation ceremony for six FDNY Probationary Firefighters. This small class is made up of members of the Department who were previously injured during training and have now completed their requirements to graduate. Watch the full ceremony at bit.ly/37H6der

On Tuesday, December 22, FDNY members operated on scene of an overturned trailer carrying approximately 300 20-pound propane cylinders at 97-05 Horace Harding Expressway in Queens. The vehicle overturned after striking a Jersey Barrier separating the Westbound Long Island Expressway to the exit of Queens Boulevard. FDNY Engine Company 324 arrived on scene and found heavy fire and exploding cylinders flying in the air. They began to apply water to the fire while simultaneously... stretching a line to the hydrant to extinguish fires burning in the surrounding vehicles. At the same time, Engine Company 287 arrived and stretched a line to begin extinguishing the fire. This incident was transmitted as a 2-alarm fire. At the conclusion of the incident, most of the cylinders were burnt empty of their contents and FDNY Haz-Mat units burned off seven damaged cylinders. There was one civilian with non-life-threatening injuries reported. (Video Credit: Mario Miranda) See more

After September 11th and the catastrophic losses our Department suffered, many wondered if there would be difficulty finding people willing to do the dangerous work required to save lives in our city. That same question was asked after this past March and April when COVID-19 ravaged our city and placed the men and women of our Department, in particular, our EMTs and Paramedics, on the frontline of this deadly pandemic. Nineteen years ago, people stepped up and joined this De...partment because they had a passion and drive to serve others and to protect this city. And now, looking out at this group, I see brave young men and women with that same passion and drive to serve, to protect others, to respond to help those in need, and to save lives in New York. You witnessed the extraordinary work of our EMTs throughout this pandemic, responding to a record number of medical emergencies while battling an invisible enemy, and you stepped up to join them, said Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro to today’s graduating FDNY Emergency Medical Technicians. Due to COVID-19, today’s socially-distanced ceremony was held without family and friends in attendance. Chief of EMS Operations Lillian Bonsignore said, Today we have 153 new Emergency Medical Technicians graduating in our ranks. It really takes your breath away to look at so many men and women who are dedicating their lives to this profession. You are at the beginning of a story that will be told for years to come. You now join the ranks of the most extraordinary and dedicated first responders I have ever known, and you are joining during a once-in-a-lifetime global pandemic. I’ve loved this job for nearly three decades, and each day, I get to witness and confirm my love for what each of our EMS members do for this city. We are people of compassion, we are people of commitment, and we are people of service. Today, you are all committing yourselves to saving lives, caring for others, and providing the highest quality of pre-hospital emergency medical care to millions of New Yorkers and visitors. View the full ceremony at https://on.nyc.gov/3m9s6r0 See more

When cooking for the holidays and every day, be #FDNYSmart NEVER leave cooking food unattended, wear short or tight-fitting sleeves, and keep towels and all materials away from the stove. See more tips at fdnysmart.org

Join us for the FDNY Emergency Medical Technician graduation ceremony.

I was in the United States Marine Corps from 2010-2017 and it was an experience I will never forget. Following directions and orders comes naturally to me, and that helped during our training at the EMS Academy. When I was deployed to Afghanistan, I had to rely on my training to push through, and that is also what I will do once we begin working on the streets during this pandemic. The Academy gave us the tools to do this job. I want to help people and this is the way that I can do that, says FDNY Probationary EMT and U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Adam Phumalee, who graduates today from the FDNY EMS Academy. Due to COVID-19, the socially-distanced graduation ceremony will be held without family and friends in attendance. Watch the ceremony live here on Facebook at 10 am EST today, Friday, October 23rd.

I remember watching all the first responders go to work during the attacks on September 11th. I was only eight years old, but ever since that day I knew I wanted to be just like them. Graduating during a pandemic feels very surreal, but we are all prepared to help out New Yorkers that need us. The camaraderie during our training was unmatched. Our instructors are the best in the world. This was the best training I could have ever gotten, and it’s a privilege to work here, says FDNY Probationary EMT Michael Brockett, who graduates today from the FDNY EMS Academy as the Bravo Company Academic Achiever. Due to COVID-19, the socially-distanced graduation ceremony will be held without family and friends in attendance. Watch the ceremony live here on Facebook at 10 am EST today, Friday, October 23rd.

Graduating during a pandemic is definitely a different experience, but I feel prepared to go out and make a difference. Our training has helped us feel prepared and I am eager to contribute. I want to help people and I know this is a great opportunity to help this city, says FDNY Probationary EMT Deonte Moore, who graduates today from the FDNY EMS Academy as the Alpha Company Academic Achiever. Due to COVID-19, the socially-distanced graduation ceremony will be held without family and friends in attendance. Watch the ceremony live here on Facebook at 10 am EST today, Friday, October 23rd.

From now through January 22, 2021, FDNY firehouses and EMS stations across the city will serve as drop-off locations for non-perishable food items as part of the City Harvest Daily News Food Drive. This year, it's never been more important to come together to help feed our neighbors in need, as families across the five boroughs continue to contend with the devastating economic fallout of the COVID-19 crisis. Learn more at cityharvest.org/dailynews #WeAreCityHarvest

#ThrowbackThursday to the 1965 debut of the #FDNY Superpumper system. The name itself conveys the fact that it was something beyond the ordinary and it was. Le...arn more in Episode 4 of our Throwback FDNY Podcast available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play. Signup for our companion Throwback FDNY newsletter at nycfiremuseum.org/throwbackfdny See more

Celebrating Halloween this year? Be sure to take precautions to slow the spread of COVID-19: Do not go to parties or gather in large groups Celebrate outdoors... Wear a face covering over any costume mask Celebrate at home by carving pumpkins, watching scary movies or with a virtual party Learn more about celebrating Halloween safely: https://on.nyc.gov/3jl1th3

Today’s FDNY Throwback Thursday photo is from October 21, 1959 FDNY mechanics at the Department's shops. See more photos at https://on.nyc.gov/34eTkqa Learn more about FDNY history with the New York City Fire Museum Throwback FDNY Podcast, now available on Apple, Spotify and Google Play. Sign up for the Museum's companion Throwback FDNY newsletter at nycfiremuseum.org/throwbackfdny

The first units arrived in three minutes. We had a serious fire in a bicycle repair shop. There are 168 Firefighters on scene, several EMS members, and 39 fire units. Fire marshals are on scene investigating the cause for the fire. There was smoke in some apartment houses next door, no fire extended to those buildings at all, says FDNY Chief of Fire Operations Thomas Richardson from the scene of a 4-alarm fire yesterday evening at 4055 White Plains Rd. in the Bronx. There were four non-life-threatening injuries to Firefighters reported. The fire has been placed under control.

FDNY members from Engine 246, Ladder 169, and Rescue 5 performed a confined space rescue earlier this afternoon when a worker fell approximately 12-15 feet below ground in Brooklyn. The individual was placed on a backboard and secured to a Stokes basket using a diamond lash technique. Members from Ladder 169 extended the ladder to establish a high point, using ropes to remove the patient. FDNY EMS members from Station 43 took over patient care, transporting the patient to a local hospital in serious, but stable, condition.

FDNY Operation BioPOD, conducted by the FDNY Bureau of Health Services (BHS) in conjunction with the Bureau of Operations, is currently underway at fire and EMS stations in all five boroughs. The exercise is part of the City’s overall emergency response plan and combines the efforts of BHS, Fire Operations, EMS Operations, EMS Dispatch, Fire Dispatch and the Center for Terrorism and Disaster Preparedness. During Operation BioPOD, FDNY personnel are given the option to receive... the flu vaccine. FDNY Chief Medical Officer, Dr. David Prezant, says, Getting a flu vaccine is more important than ever during this 2020 - 2021 season. It’s critical to protect yourself and the people around you from the flu, and to help reduce the strain on our healthcare systems that are responding to this COVID-19 pandemic. Health experts point out that it is possible to be infected with both COVID-19 and the flu, either simultaneously or sequentially in which case it could lead to catastrophic, potentially lethal, illness and if infected, you could bring this home to your family with similar, terrible consequences. The best protection against this is the flu vaccine and mask wearing for you and for your family. Since 2003, FDNY Operation BioPOD has been practiced every year to prepare for the event of a large-scale biologic exposure, in which case the Bureau of Health Services would need to inoculate or medicate our workforce for protection. This year is a culmination of that training and of our preparedness. New Yorkers - learn more about the flu vaccine, and find a NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene flu vaccination event near you, by visiting nyc.gov/flu