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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 Department 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

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. See more

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 want...ed 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. See more

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 prepare...d 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. See more

When you’re already close with your sibling, working in the same career truly makes your bond even stronger. That’s the story of FDNY Firefighters Michael and Abraham Miller, also known as The Miller Brothers. The two grew up on Staten Island watching FDNY Firefighters help the community and are now serving in Harlem as one of those same heroes. Michael works at Ladder 28 and Abraham works nearby at Ladder 23. And if Abraham looks familiar, you aren’t mistaken. On Sept.... 29, along with members of Ladder 23, Ladder 34 and Squad 41, he saved a five-year-old child from the sixth-floor of a burning Washington Heights building by completing a roof-rope rescue. Read more about these two first responders at www.joinfdny.com/MeetTheMillers. #ThrowbackThursday

Working for the FDNY is something that I love because every single day is different. Our work each day can go from one extreme to another and anywhere in between and we're always doing what we can to help the city every day," said Ladder 24 Lieutenant Douglas Lopez, who has served in our Department for nearly 14 years. "I'm Nuyorican. I grew up in Spanish Harlem and then I moved to the Bronx and I've been in the Bronx my entire adult life and it feels good to be able to give back to the community in this way. I take great pride in being an officer here as well because I'm learning even more about this career and I'm able to teach the next generation about the many ways we're helping people throughout our great city." #HispanicHeritageMonth

You saw quite vividly how difficult and important the job of an EMT is in New York City, and you said, I want to do that too. I want to be there for people in need. I want to make a difference for others and I want to learn to save lives. That is truly remarkable," said FDNY First Deputy Commissioner Laura Kavanagh at today's FDNY Youth Winter EMS Academy and Youth Summer EMS Academy Completion Ceremony. Chief of EMS Operations Lillian Bonsignore said, "I can't even begin to tell you how proud I am of your accomplishment. You became an EMT during a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, and that is truly extraordinary." Congratulations to the 56 Youth Workforce Development members for their exceptional career achievement. Learn more about our youth programs at www.joinfdny.com/youth. View the ceremony at youtube.com/JoinFDNY.

I love working in EMS because it gives me the ability to help people on a daily basis. This is a career where you know what your purpose is every day and that purpose is to help others, said Station 19 Captain Leonore Joy Garcia, a 18-year veteran in the FDNY. I’m Afro-Latina and I lived in the South Bronx for most of my life and my heritage has been a big influence in my life. I love the ability that I have with this career to inspire our youth in the community and to show them that they can be someone who helps and someone who knows how to navigate through tough situations. In my role as a Captain, I also value that I can show them someone who is utilizing her talents to be a leader. #HispanicHeritageMonth

Normally, I would be addressing all of you from the steps of our monument on Riverside Drive, and there would be thousands of our active and retired members in... formation, as a sign of profound respect and love for our fallen members. That monument is a special place for all of us. It was built with donations from New Yorkers more than a century ago. It serves as a memorial to the 1,153 members of the FDNY who have been killed in the line of duty, and to the more than 226 members who died of illnesses related to their work at the World Trade Center. As we all know, gathering in extraordinary numbers is not something any of us can or should be doing these days. So, I stand before you today in front of an equally inspiring tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of this Department as we gather in a different way, said FDNY Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro at today’s 113th annual FDNY Memorial Day Service, which was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty-three FDNY members were honored at the service, which incorporated pre-recorded footage from the Firemen’s Memorial, shown here in photos, along with a live, socially-distanced ceremony at FDNY headquarters in Brooklyn. Commissioner Nigro said, Traditionally, this ceremony has been reserved for remembering and honoring our Fire and EMS members who have died in the last year. But this has been a year unlike any other, for all of us. Our entire Department has been engaged in a battle with COVID-19. Each member of every bureau was heavily involved in our response to this pandemic. We remember these wonderful individuals, we honor them, and we will never forget them. View the full service at https://on.nyc.gov/2GQprTC See more

Join us for the 113th annual FDNY Memorial Day Service.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and FDNY Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro will honor 23 FDNY members who have died in the past year at the 113th annual FDNY Memorial Day Servi...ce today, Wednesday, October 7th at 4 pm EST. Traditionally, the event takes place at the Firemen’s Memorial on Riverside Drive in Manhattan, and is attended by thousands of active and retired FDNY members, and the families of the members who have died. Due to COVID-19, today’s ceremony will be virtual, and can be viewed live, here, on Facebook. Those who will be honored at this year’s ceremony are: Battalion Chief John Nykiel; Firefighter Matthew McDevitt; EMT Alexander Raso; EMT Richard Seaberry;* EMT Gregory Hodge;* EMT John Redd;* EMT Idris Bey;* EMT John Mondello; EMT Robert Tier; EMT Douglas Gertz; Lieutenant Matthew Keene; EMT Michael Lalima; Firefighter Christian Murphy; EMT Brandon Dorsa; Firefighter Jason McNamee;* Auto Mechanic James Villecco;* Deputy Chief Fire Inspector Syed Rahman;* Principal Administrative Associate Kellie Childs;* Fire Inspector Edward Mungin* Supervising Auto Mechanic Thomas Ward;* Clerical Associate Kenneth Stubbs;* Supervising Fire Inspector Mark Remolino;* and EMT Paul Cary* of Ambulnz Company, Aurora Fire Department, CO, who died of COVID-19 while deployed to New York City. *Died of COVID-19

Watch: Video of the fire conditions that FDNY members faced as they performed two daring roof-rope rescues in the rear of the building this morning in Washingto...n Heights. Video credit: Joseph John Ramos. We saw people hanging out the window from the floor above. Firefighter Abraham Miller, Ladder 23, and I heard screaming and we saw a kid’s little hands out of one of the windows. I attached the rope to his harness, but I couldn’t find a place to secure the other side so I laid down on the roof, braced myself with a heavy pipe, and held him on the rope as he made his way to the child. We train for this all the time so I felt comfortable. I made sure not to move to ensure he was able to make the rescue, says Firefighter Jairo Sosa, Ladder 34, who earlier this morning performed a roof-rope rescue with Firefighter Abraham Miller to save a child from a 2-alarm fire in Washington Heights. Firefighter Miller says, We’ve worked together before so we jumped into action and everything just happened so quick. It was tough but we did what we had to do, we didn’t think twice about it. We practice this drill every Monday, but this was my first roof-rope rescue. This is a team effort. Firefighter Jose Castro of Squad 41 was then lowered from the roof of the building to the sixth floor in order to rescue a second individual. Firefighter Castro says, Firefighter Philip Ingwersen laid on the roof with another member as an anchor and lowered me to the window. I grabbed the person and said that everything was going to be ok. As I prepared to take the individual out of the window, the inside team reached the person and we decided the safest exit was through the interior. Once the rescue began, all I was thinking about was saving a life. We dream of making a difference and I was happy to have this opportunity. In total, twelve patients were transported to local hospitals by EMS members on scene. Fire Marshals have determined that the fire was accidental, caused by an overloaded extension cord. FDNY urges New Yorkers to NEVER overload extension cords, and to remember that they are for temporary use only. Learn more at fdnysmart.org

There were multiple people trapped above the fire here in dire, extreme conditions of heat and smoke. Members aggressively entered the building, pushed forward..., went to the roof and working together, members of Ladder 23, Ladder 34, and Squad 41 used two roof-ropes. They deployed two roof-ropes from the roof down to the sixth floor and were able to rescue a five-year-old child, and keep another seriously exposed person within the apartment, and save that person. Twelve people in all were saved at this fire thanks to the excellent abilities of these members, says FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro on scene in Washington Heights, where FDNY members put into operation two separate life-saving ropes to access individuals trapped in sixth-floor apartments above a 2-alarm fire burning on the fifth floor. Firefighter Jose Castro of Squad 41 was lowered from the roof to the sixth floor, where it was deemed safe to remove the person through the interior. Simultaneously, Firefighter Jairo Sosa of Ladder 34 lowered Firefighter Abe Miller of Ladder 23 to the sixth floor, where he rescued a five-year-old child from the window and lowered the child safely to the ground below. Firefighter Miller says, When we looked over the side of the building we saw a little girl’s hands on the window guards and her grandmother was holding her up to try to get her out just so she could breathe. Firefighter Sosa already had the life-saving rope out. We’ve worked together before so we jumped into action and everything just happened so quick. I went over and he lowered me down to the window. I was able to punch through the window and grab the child out of the window. FF Sosa lowered me to the ground. It was tough but we did what we had to do, we didn’t think twice about it. We practice this drill every Monday, but this was my first roof-rope rescue. This is a team effort. Chief of Operations Thomas Richardson says, This is what we train for, to be ready and prepared all the time. I want to acknowledge our members from EMS Operations who, once we removed the victims from the fire, were able to work on these folks and successfully resuscitate them and get them to the local area hospitals. See more