MyFDNY NEWS
JA NUA RY 2 0 2 4 FIRE COMMISSIONER Laura Kavanagh FIRST DEPUTY COMMISSIONER Joseph Pfeifer CHIEF OF DEPARTMENT John J. Hodgens
We Are FDNY
Meet Lieutenant Paul Ardizzone Page 4
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FDNY holds Line-of-Duty Death Plaque Dedication Ceremony for Firefighter William P. Moon at Rescue 2 On Jan. 7, the FDNY held a plaque dedication ceremony for Firefighter William P. Moon II, who suffered a serious head injury during a training accident at his firehouse last December. When it became clear he would not survive his critical injuries, his family made the decision to donate his organs to save the lives of others. His wife, Kristina; his children, Colin and Brianne; and his parents, William Sr. and Patricia, joined many members of his extended family in attending the ceremony. Firefighter Moon gave the gift of life to five people in donating his organs. Two of them also attended the remembrance event: FDNY Lieutenant Terrence Jordan received Moon’s lungs; FDNY Captain Patrick Reynolds received his liver. “In the year plus since Billy died, I have had the pleasure of getting to know Kristina, to spend time with the Moon family. I have learned all about the More on Page 2
Spotlight
Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh leads effort to install smoke alarms in more homes in the five boroughs Page 2
FDNY members help protect the ball drop celebration in Times Square On New Year's Eve, FDNY members operated in Times Square to help protect the ball drop celebration, coordinating closely with NYPD, DOT and other agencies. One of the busiest nights of the year for emergency medical calls, hundreds of additional FDNY resources were deployed around Times Square and throughout the City. The goal: to ensure everyone has More on Page 2
plus Applause
STATION 58 TOY DRIVE CELEBRATES 12th YEAR & MORE! Page 3
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FDNY holds Line-of-Duty Death Plaque Dedication Ceremony for Firefighter William P. Moon at Rescue 2 Continued from Page 1
Access the MyFDNY SCAN ME Portal by logging on with your single signon (SSO) credentials. If you experience technical difficulties with SSO or multifactor authentication (MFA), call the BTDS help desk at 718-9992611 or email BTDS@fdny.nyc.gov. The FDNY Insider is now MyFDNY News! This monthly publication will be available in print and online.
MyFDNY FYI FDNY 2024 Course Catalog is now available The FDNY Bureau of Training Higher Education & Course Catalog, compiled by the Bureau of Training, can now be viewed via the FDNY DiamondPlate/Intranet. The catalog consists of four major components; Financial Aid, Scholarships and Grants; Post Secondary Partners and Course Offerings (including credit recommendations associated with FDNY courses). For additional information, contact Lizzette Perez-Cruz, FDNY Registrar, via email at registrarunit@fdny.nyc.gov. Learn the Mandarin language! The FDNY Phoenix Society is hosting free Mandarin language classes every Wednesday until May, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Classes will be at Flushing High School, 35-01 Union St., Queens, NY 11354. All Department members and family members are welcome. Food and drinks provided. To attend, please RSVP to FDNYPhoenixSociety@gmail.com. Join us for the sixth annual GLITZGLAM-GIVE: Women’s History Month and Caregiver’s Day Brunch! This year, we are taking you back in time to the Golden Twenties, so dress in your Gatsby/flapper best and grab your best gals and pals for an afternoon of fun! Each year, our Glitz and Glam takes you on an entertaining journey for a good cause. Join in the celebration by dressing in the spirit of the day. Since our first brunch back in 2018, our mission to empower women both professionally and personally has been a wonderful success, and we want to celebrate with you! The afternoon will begin with a brunch at New York City Fire Museum and will include photo ops, games of chance, appetizers, entertainment of all kinds, BEST DRESSED CONTESTS (so don't forget to DRESS to IMPRESS!), and so much more. The brunch will be held on Saturday, March 9, from 12-4 p.m. Tickets are now on sale. Go to https:// glitzglamgive2024.eventbrite.com/ to get your tickets today.
difficult conversations she and Billy had, about the 'what if' scenarios they discussed that made her uniquely prepared to make the decision to donate Billy’s organs when it became clear he would not survive his fall,” said Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh. “Now I understand the depth of her love for Billy, in honoring his wishes in death and carrying out his mission of encouraging organ donation even after he’s gone. The work she has done is truly remarkable, and we are all inspired by her ability to find a silver lining amid the most tragic of circumstances.” “Thanks to Billy, Lieutenant Jordan and Captain Reyn-
olds are here today, and Billy’s lungs still breathe air, and his liver still functions in the walls of this firehouse,” said Chief of Department John Hodgens. “This is a somber day, but one that helps us to continue to remember Billy as the kind and brave man he was, the devoted father and husband, the passionate public servant, and truly one of New York’s Bravest. That’s how we will remember him each time we hear his name, see his plaque, see his grateful organ recipients, or have important conversations about organ donation.” n
FDNY members help protect the ball drop celebration in Times Square Continued from Page 1
a great time celebrating the New Year, and to do so safely. EMTs showed up early and stayed late, and gave peace of mind to revelers watching the ball drop. n
Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh leads effort to install smoke alarms in more homes in the five boroughs
MyFDNY CALENDAR
UPCOMING HOLIDAY 12 Feb. | *Lincoln's Birthday
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* Floating holiday (employees hired before 7/1/2004)
19 Feb. | Presidents' Day FEBRUARY PAYDAYS 2 Feb. and 16 Feb.
SAVE THE DATES 22 May | Second Chance Ceremony 5 June | Medal Day 11 Sept. | Citywide Remembrances 9 Oct. | FDNY Memorial Day
On Dec. 13, 2023, Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh joined the Fire Safety Education Unit and the American Red Cross to install smoke alarms. Commissioner Kavanagh reminded New York City residents that if they need a smoke alarm, the FDNY, the FDNY Foundation and the American Red Cross will install one for FREE. In the event of a fire, smoke alarms can double your chances of surviving a fire. n
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(1) Twelve years ago, FDNY Paramedic Juan Lebron of Station 58 collected a bag of toys to donate to kids who could use a little extra cheer during the holidays. Since then, it's grown into a bonanza of giving. (2) Despite rain, hundreds of families came out for the annual Santa Rescue at the New York City Fire Museum— Ladder 1 made the save! (3) After years of service, EMT Onofrio Troisi and EMT Marie Legall retired from the FDNY EMS Academy. EMT Troisi began his 31-year career in 1992 at Station 14 in the Bronx. EMT Legall began her 17-year career in 2006 after a previous role with NYPD as a civilian employee. (4) Proving that with great power comes great responsibility, FDNY’s Humble Heroes assembled and made their annual visit to New York Presbyterian Queens. They brought gifts and hugs to children in the pediatric ICU. (5) The FDNY Hispanic Society held its annual toy drive, partnering with PS 63X in the Bronx. More than 350 K-5 students were given toys and got to learn about fire safety. (6) The FDNY New Tamid Society and the FDNY Office of Diversity and Inclusion held a gathering to celebrate Chanukah in the Commissioner Robert O. Lowery Auditorium.
We Are FDNY
FDNY honors the members lost at the Vandalia Avenue Fire
Meet Lieutenant Paul Ardizzone 1. What is your name, title and number of years at FDNY? Where are you currently assigned, and what are your work-related responsibilities? My name is Lieutenant Paul Ardizzone. I work in the Haz-Tac battalion, and I’ve been at FDNY for 11 years. My primary responsibility is to provide direct field supervision to the members of the 39 Haz-Tac ambulances throughout New York City, both advanced life support (ALS) and basic life support (BLS). Eleven of those ambulances are rescue medic ambulances who, in addition to being trained in medical management of patients at a hazardous materials incident, are also extensively trained in medical management of patients in a technical rescue incident, such as building collapses, [working in] confined spaces, trench rescues and marine incidents. I’ve been trained as both a hazardous material and rescue medical technician. We have the same training as our members in the field. Lastly, I’m also an EMS liaison to the Marine Division, coordinating and maintaining all the EMS equipment and supplies on the state-certified water ambulances for the Department.
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2. What called you to a life of public service at FDNY? I knew I wanted to work in public service my whole life—it’s the only thing I ever want to do. I never imagined having a “regular job.” I knew I was either going to be a police officer, a firefighter or a medic of some sort. According to my mother, the first word I learned to spell was “police.” She said I was either going to be a police officer or a criminal; funny how I didn’t become either. I even watched shows like “Emergency” and “CHIPs” growing up, and I got my first police/fire scanner when I was 10 years old. Either way, the reason why I am here today is because my mother went into cardiac arrest when I was six. She was resuscitated in the back of an ambulance, making a full recovery after spending four weeks at Montefiore Hospital. She had a quadruple bypass and lived another 20 years. This experience inspired me to be part of the FDNY family. 3. Can you share one of your most memorable moments while working at FDNY? One of my most memorable moments on the job was when a 36-year-old NYPD police officer, training for an upcoming triathlon, collapsed and went into cardiac arrest. Police officers with him on the scene started CPR right away and then defibrillated him twice. My partner and I arrived, shocked him two more times and then followed up with intubation. By the time we got to the hospital, he was waking and eventually was cleared for a full discharge. He had four young kids, lived on Long Island and had been a police officer for over 10 years. I had the chance to meet him, his family, and his parents at an event later—definitely one of my most memorable moments on the job. 4. What does “We Are FDNY” mean to you? “We Are FDNY” should really be called “We Are New York City.” I believe our organization is a representation of the people we serve in all the neighborhoods. Sure, we need to grow and become more representative in certain places, for sure. But I think we do a good job of being who we are and representing people from all walks of life, from all around the world. “We Are FDNY” reminds me of all that I have learned, and the promise that I will learn more, through having the opportunity to work with people from different backgrounds and lifestyles, and this is one of the most rewarding parts of the job.
On Dec. 18, 2023, FDNY paused to remember the 25th anniversary of the Vandalia Avenue Fire, which claimed the lives of three FDNY members. Lieutenant Joseph Cavalieri and Firefighters James Bohan and Christopher Bopp, all from Ladder 170, made the supreme sacrifice when they attempted to rescue people believed to be trapped on the 10th floor of an apartment building. n
podcast highlights
Season 8 Year in Review
ICYMI: 2023
Throwback FDNY to 1870, the FDNY unveils its Museum; in 1910, Rhinelander Waldo becomes Fire Commissioner; and in 1911, a devastating fire destroys Dreamland Park in Coney Island
THE WRAP
5. What is your superpower (best quality or skill)? My superpower is definitely my ability to adapt to whatever situation I find myself in, both job-related and personal. I’m just as comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt as I am in a tuxedo. Similarly, I’m just as comfortable hanging with my buddies as I would be standing next to the Fire Commissioner. I’m generally not one to get nervous, and I can adapt as needed. 6. How does your role support the public safety mission of the FDNY? My role requires me to rise to the occasion and help folks in a variety of situations around the City. I have to be adaptable because the situations vary: I could arrive at a house in flames, be greeted by someone trapped or find myself simply giving someone directions. One of the primary functions of my department is to ensure that everyone gets home safely—not just from a fire or [other serious] incident, but also from work at the end of the day. As a lieutenant and an officer, I make sure that my members in the field are doing the right things, treating the public well, doing the right job and making sure that they are taken care of, too. n
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SCAN ME On Jan. 10, the FDNY welcomed 184 probationary EMTs into its ranks at a graduation ceremony at the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn. “As members of the FDNY Emergency Medical Service, you will serve on the first line of defense providing critical care and assistance to those in dire need,” said Chief of EMS Michael Fields. n