The New York City Fire Department or the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) has the responsibility of protecting citizens and property in New York City's five boroughs from fires and fire hazards, as well as first response to biological, chemical and radioactive hazards. FDNY is the largest Municipal Fire Department in the US with 16,000 personnel and faces an extraordinarily varied challenge. In addition to responding to building types that range from wood frame to high-rise, there are the many bridges and tunnels needed to move a large commuter population into and out of the city as well as the largest subway system in the US. These challenges add yet another level of firefighting complexity. Old wiring in subway tunnels (as well as in older buildings) is occasionally the cause of fires. A scarcity of water for drinking and fighting fires ultimately resulted in the transition of Brooklyn from separate city into a borough of NYC. The city, by then had developed a vast up-state feeder system to slake the growing city's thirst.
The FDNY ideology of aggressive fire attack grew naturally out of the building and population density that characterize the city. It was this time-honored approach that led to the death of 343 members of FDNY who rushed into the World Trade Center Towers following the terrorist-piloted plane crashes of September 11, 2001 attacks.
The contribution of Irish Americans to the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) is legendary, dating back to the formation of the professional department. During the Civil War New York's Irish firefighters were the backbone of a much decorated unit, The Zouaves.
In addition to firefighting, rescue and HAZMAT, FDNY stations ambulances throughout the city and supplies paramedics and EMTs. Together with ambulances run by certain participating hospitals and private companies, it is known as the FDNY EMS Command, which is the largest prehospital care provider in the world, responding to over 1.3 million calls each year. Some of the FDNY EMS Command members are also trained in HAZMAT operations, allowing them to provide emergency medical care and decontamination in a hazardous environment, in addition to normal 911 duties.
Members of the FDNY have the nickname "New York's Bravest" (in a similar manner, the NYPD are called "New York's Finest").
Ranks of the FDNY
| Title |
Insignia |
| Lieutenant |
One silver bar |
| Captain |
Two silver bars |
| Battalion Chief |
Gold oak leaf |
| Battalion Commander |
Silver oak leaf |
| Deputy Chief |
Gold spread eagle |
| Division Commander |
One gold star |
| Deputy Assistant Chief |
Two gold stars |
| Assistant Chief |
Three gold stars |
| Chief of Operations |
Four gold stars |
| Chief of Department |
Five gold stars in a pentagon |
NYFD Units
Organization
Department
- Executive Staff
-
- Office of the Fire Commissioner
- Chief of Department St
- Staff Chiefs
Bureaus
Bureau of Communications
- Administration
- Brooklyn Communications Office
- Brooklyn Communications 2
- Bronx Communications Office
- Manhattan Communications Office
- Queens Communications Office
- Staten Island Communications office
- Field Communications
Bureau of Fire Investigation
- Administration
- Special Investigative Unit
- Brooklyn
- Bronx
- Manhattan
- Queens
- Training Unit
- Range Officers
Bureau of Fire Prevention
Bureau of Fiscal Services
- Revenue Management Staff
- Fiscal Services
- Budget Services
- Civilian Payroll
- Uniformd Payroll and Pensions
Bureau of Health Services
- Fire Department Medical officers
- Health & Fitness
- Counseling Unit
- HELP Team
Bureau of Inter-governmental Affairs
Bureau of Legal Affairs
Bureau of Management Analysis and Planning
Bureau of Public Information
Bureau of Personnel
Bureau of Support Services
- Tech Service
- Medical Equipment
- Medical Supply
- Tools Equipment
- Parts Department
- Store House Operations
- Fleet Maintenance
- Randall’s Island Pump Maintenance
- Ladder Section
- Pumper Section
- Shops
- Administrative Staff
- Emergency Crew
- PMP Crew
- Support Shops
- Maintenance 2 – EMS
- Parts Room
- Tire Shop
Bureau of Strategic Planning & Review and internal Audit Unit
Bureau of Technology Development & Systems
Bureau of Training
- Administrative and Instructional Staff
- Department of Fire and Line Safety
- Randall’s Island Academy
- A Company
- 1st Platoon
- 1st Squad
- 2nd Squad
- 3rd Squad
- 2nd Platoon
- 1st Squad
- 2nd Squad
- 3rd Squad
- B Company
- 1st Platoon
- 1st Squad
- 2nd Squad
- 3rd Squad
- 2nd Platoon
- 1st Squad
- 2nd Squad
- 3rd Squad
- First Line Supervisors Training Program
- Mand Library
Bureau of Operations
- Fire Operations
- Division 1
- Division 2(disbanded)
- Division 3
- Division 4(disbanded)
- Division 5(disbanded)
- Division 6
- Division 7
- Division 8
- Division 9(disbanded)
- Division 10(disbanded)
- Division 11
- Division 12(disbanded)
- Division 13
- Division 14
- Division 15
- Marine Division
- Special Operations
- Safety
- Office of Medical Affairs
Emergency Medical Service
NYC EMS was originally not apart of the City of New York Fire Department. The two officially merged on March 17, 1996.
Necrology
