View source for New York City Fire Department

{{Short description|American municipal fire department}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Infobox fire department
| name                   = New York City Fire Department (FDNY)
| native_name            =
| logo                   =Emblem of the New York City Fire Department.svg
| logo_caption           =FDNY logo
| logo_alt               =
| patch                  = 
| patch_caption          = 
| patch_alt              = 
| flag                   = FDNYflag.png
| flag_caption           = [[Flags of New York City#Fire Department|Flag]]
| flag_alt               =
| image_size             =
| motto                  = "New York's Bravest"<ref name="NYC IQ" /><br />EMS Motto: "New York's Best"<ref name="NYC IQ"/>
<!-- Operational Area -->
| country                = {{flag|United States}}
| subdivision_type1      = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1      = {{flag|New York}}
| subdivision_type2      = [[Lists of populated places in the United States|City]]
| subdivision_name2      = {{flag|New York City}}
<!-- Agency Overview -->
| reference1             =
| established            = {{start date and age|1865|7|31}}<ref>[http://www1.nyc.gov/site/fdny/about/overview/overview.page NYC.gov/FDNY 'About'], via NYC.gov/FDNY. Retrieved March 24, 2017</ref><br />(origins go back to {{start date and age|1648}})<ref>{{cite web|title=History|url=http://www1.nyc.gov/site/fdny/about/overview/history/history.page|publisher=The City of New York|access-date=October 28, 2017}}</ref>
| annual calls           = For 2018:<ref name="FDNY Vital Statistics CY 2018">{{cite web|title=FDNY Vital Statistics CY 2018|url=https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/fdny/downloads/pdf/about/citywide-stat-2018-annual-report.pdf|publisher=The City of New York|access-date=May 3, 2019}}</ref>
* [[New York City Fire Department Bureau of EMS|FDNY EMS]] total call volume: 1,862,159
* FDNY Fire Suppression total call volume: 619,378
* Structural fires: 27,053
* Non-structural fires: 13,730
* Non-fire emergencies: 256,560
* Medical emergencies: 300,598
* Malicious false alarms: 21,437
| employees=11,000+Uniformed Firefighting Personnel<br />4,500 Uniformed Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Personnel, EMTs and paramedics<br />2,000 Civilian Employees
| annual budget          =$2,030,337,688<ref name="April 2019 Executive Budget, Fiscal Year 2020">{{cite web|title=April 2019 Executive Budget, Fiscal Year 2020|url=https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/omb/downloads/pdf/erc4-19.pdf|publisher=The City of New York|access-date=May 3, 2019}}</ref>
| staffing               = Career
| chief                  = John Esposito 
| captain                =
| superintendent         =
| commissioner           = [[Robert S. Tucker|Robert Tucker]]
| district supervisor    =
| iaff                   = 94, 854, and 4959
<!-- Facilities & equipment history -->
| reference2             =
| divisions              =9 
| battalions             =49
| stations               =254 
| engines                =197
| trucks                 =143  
| squads                 =8 
| rescues                =5
| wildfire engines       =10
| fireboats              =3x year-round, 6x seasonal
| ambulances             =450<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www1.nyc.gov/site/operations/performance/fleet-report.page|title=Fleet Report – Mayor's Office of Operations|website=www1.nyc.gov}}</ref>
| hazmat                 =1
| FirstResponderBLSorALS =Certified First Responder-Defibrillator (CFR-D), Basic Life Support (BLS), and Advanced Life Support (ALS)
| usar                   =1
<!-- Footer -->
| website                ={{Official website}}
| iaffweb                ={{unbulletedlist|{{URL|https://ufoa.org|IAFF website (officers)}}|{{URL|https://www.ufanyc.org|IAFF website (firefighters)}}}}
{{URL|https://ufadba.org|IAFF website (Fire Alarm Dispatchers)}}{{!}}
}}

The '''New York City Fire Department''', officially the '''Fire Department of the City of New York''' ('''FDNY''') is the full-service [[fire department]] of [[New York City]], serving all [[Boroughs of New York City|five boroughs]]. The FDNY is responsible for providing fire suppression services, [[hazardous materials]] response, [[emergency medical services]], and [[technical rescue]] for the entire city.

The New York City Fire Department is the largest municipal [[fire department]] in North America and the Western Hemisphere, as well as the second largest in the world after the [[Tokyo Fire Department]].{{citation needed|date=July 2022}} The FDNY employs over 11,000 uniformed firefighting employees, 4,500 uniformed EMTs, paramedics, and EMS employees, and 2,000 civilian employees.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fire Department of the City of New York - Overview |url=https://www.nyc.gov/site/fdny/about/overview/overview.page |publisher=City of New York |access-date=2 December 2024}}</ref> Its regulations are compiled in title 3 of the ''[[New York City Rules]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/fdny/downloads/pdf/about/fdny-rules.pdf|title=FIRE DEPARTMENT RULES CODE DEVELOPMENT UNIT BUREAU OF FIRE PREVENTION|date=October 1, 2017|website=The Official Website of the City of New York|access-date=November 14, 2017}}</ref> The FDNY's motto is "''New York's Bravest"'' for fire, and "''New York's Best"'' for EMS. The FDNY serves more than 8.5&nbsp;million residents within a {{convert|302|sqmi|km2|adj=on}} area.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/newyorkcitynewyork/PST045216|title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts selected: New York City|website=census.gov|access-date=November 14, 2017}}</ref>

The FDNY headquarters is located at [[MetroTech Center|9 MetroTech Center]] in [[Downtown Brooklyn]],<ref>
"[http://www.fmmcorp.com/p_gov5.html 9 Metrotech Center – FDNY Headquarters] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118054305/http://www.fmmcorp.com/p_gov5.html |date=January 18, 2012 }} ". Fresh Meadow Mechanical Corp. Retrieved November 5, 2009.
</ref> and the FDNY Fire Academy is located on [[Randalls and Wards Islands|Randalls Island]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/units/fire_academy/fa_index.shtml|title=FDNY Fire Academy|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141014104143/http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/units/fire_academy/fa_index.shtml|archive-date=October 14, 2014}}</ref> There are 3 [[International Association of Fire Fighters]] (IAFF) Locals: The Uniformed Firefighters Association is represented by IAFF Local 94. The Uniformed Fire Officers Association is represented by IAFF Local 854 and the Uniformed Fire Alarm Dispatchers Benevolent Association is represented by IAFF Local 4959. EMS is represented by DC 37 Locals 2507 for EMTs and paramedics and Local 3621 for officers.

==Organization==
[[Image:September 14 2001 Ground Zero 03.jpg|upright|left|thumb|A FDNY deputy chief during rescue efforts at the [[World Trade Center (1973–2001)|World Trade Center]] following the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]].]]

Like most fire departments of major cities in the United States, the New York City Fire Department is organized in a paramilitary fashion, and in many cases, echoes the structure of the police department.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/units/photo/photo_unit_p2.shtml|title=FDNY Photo Unit: Images of Heroes|publisher=Fire Department of New York|access-date=December 3, 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071218134043/http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/units/photo/photo_unit_p2.shtml|archive-date=December 18, 2007}}</ref> The department's executive staff is divided into two areas that include a civilian [[FDNY Commissioner|Fire Commissioner]] who serves as the head of the department and a [[Fire chief|Chief of Department]] who serves as the operational leader. The current [[New York City Fire Commissioner|NYC Fire Commissioner]] is [[Robert S. Tucker|Robert Tucker]], who succeeded [[Laura Kavanagh]] in August 2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mayor Adams Appoints Robert Tucker as 35th Fire Commissioner of FDNY |date=August 12, 2024 |url=https://www.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/628-24/mayor-adams-appoints-robert-tucker-35th-fire-commissioner-fdny#/0 |publisher=City of New York |access-date=2 December 2024}}</ref> The executive staff includes several civilian deputy commissioners who are responsible for the many administrative bureaus within the department, along with the Chief of Department, Chief of Fire Operations, Chief of [[New York City Fire Department Bureau of EMS|EMS]], Chief Fire Marshal, Chief of Training and other staff chiefs. Staff chiefs include the seven citywide tour commanders, the Chief of Fire Prevention, and the Chief of Safety.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nyc.gov/html/fdny/pdf/mck_report/fire_operations_response.pdf|title=FDNY Fire Operations response on September 11|publisher=Fire Department of New York|access-date=February 23, 2007|archive-date=August 12, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120812202510/http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/pdf/mck_report/fire_operations_response.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/fdny/downloads/pdf/about/org-chart.pdf |title=Archived copy |website=www1.nyc.gov |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160910021527/http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/fdny/downloads/pdf/about/org-chart.pdf |archive-date=10 September 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Operationally and geographically, the department is organized into five borough commands for each of the five [[Boroughs of New York City]]. Each borough command has a borough commander. For Manhattan, this commander is an Assistant Chief, whereas each of the other four borough commanders are deputy assistant chiefs. Within those five borough commands exists nine firefighting divisions, each of which are headed by a deputy chief, who also has several deputy chiefs to help run the division when the deputy chief is not on duty. Within each division are four to seven battalions, each led by a [[battalion chief]]. The lead battalion chief for the battalion is the battalion commander and the others are battalion chiefs. Each battalion consists of three to eight [[fire station|firehouses]] and consists of approximately 180–200 firefighters and officers. Each firehouse consists of one to three [[fire company|fire companies]]. Each fire company is led by a captain, who commands three lieutenants and twelve to twenty firefighters. Tours can be either night tours (6 p.m. – 9 a.m.) or day tours (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.). Under a swapping system called "mutuals", most firefighters combine tours and work a 24-hour shift, followed by three days off. In one tour or shift, each company is commanded by an officer (lieutenant or captain) and is made up of four to five firefighters for engine companies, five firefighters for ladder companies, rescue companies, or squad companies, and six firefighters for the hazardous materials company.

The FDNY faces highly multifaceted firefighting challenges in many ways unique to New York. In addition to responding to building types that range from wood-frame single family homes to [[High-rise|high-rise structures]], there are many secluded bridges and tunnels, the [[New York City Subway]] system, as well as large parks and wooded areas that can give rise to brush fires.

The FDNY also responds to many other incidents such as auto accidents, auto extrications, gas emergencies, entrapments, construction accidents, high-angle rescues, trench rescues, confined space incidents, explosions, transit incidents, unstable buildings or collapses, hazardous materials incidents, medical emergencies and many more.

==History==
===1648–1865===
[[File:Fire Chief Harry Howard jeh.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Mid 19th century Chief]]
The origins of the New York City Fire Department go back to 1648 when the first fire ordinance was adopted in what was then the [[Dutch Empire|Dutch settlement]] of [[New Amsterdam]]. [[Peter Stuyvesant]], within one year of his arrival, appointed four fire wardens to wooden chimneys of thatched-roofed wooden houses, charging a penalty to owners whose chimneys were improperly swept. The first four fire wardens were Martin Krieger, Thomas Hall, Adrian Wyser, and George Woolsey.<ref>The Story of the Volunteer Fire Department of the City of New York
 By George William Sheldon (Harper & Brothers, 1892)</ref>
[[File:Washington Institute and City Reservoir, Manhattan.jpeg|thumb|First firefighting reservoir, behind school, 1831]]

Hooks, ladders and buckets were financed through the collection of fines for dirty chimneys, and a fire watch was established, consisting of eight wardens which were drawn from the male population. An organisation known as the ''prowlers'' but given the nickname ''the rattle watch'' patrolled the streets with buckets, ladders and hooks from nine in the evening until dawn looking for fires. Leather shoe buckets, 250 in all, were manufactured by local Dutch shoemakers in 1658, and these ''bucket brigades'' are regarded as the beginning of the New York Fire Department.<ref name="History">{{cite web|url=http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/history/fire_service.shtml|title=History of Fire Service|access-date=December 3, 2007|publisher=New York City Fire Department|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071221105639/http://nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/history/fire_service.shtml|archive-date=December 21, 2007}}</ref>

In 1664, New Amsterdam became an [[British Empire|English settlement]] and was renamed [[Province of New York|New York]].<ref name="New Amsterdam">{{cite web|url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/kingston/colonization.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017053514/http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/kingston/colonization.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 17, 2007|title=Dutch Colonization|access-date=December 3, 2007|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref> The first New York [[fire brigade]] entered service in 1731 equipped with two hand-drawn pumpers which had been transported from London, England. These two pumpers formed Engine Company 1 and Engine Company 2. These were the first [[Fire apparatus|fire engines]] to be used in the American colonies, and all able-bodied citizens were required to respond to a fire alarm and to participate in the extinguishing under the supervision of the [[Alderman|Aldermen]].<ref name="PBS">{{cite web | url = https://www.pbs.org/wnet/heroes/history1.html | title = Heroes of Ground Zero. FDNY A History | publisher=Public Broadcasting Service | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150503014952/http://www.pbs.org/wnet/heroes/history1.html | archive-date = May 3, 2015 | access-date = December 11, 2015}}</ref>

The city's first firehouse was built in 1736 in front of City Hall on [[Broad Street (Manhattan)|Broad Street]]. A year later, on December 16, 1737, the colony's General Assembly created the Volunteer Fire Department of the City of New York, appointing 30 men who would remain on call in exchange for exemption from jury and militia duty. The city's first official firemen were required to be "able, discreet, and sober men who shall be known as Firemen of the City of New York, to be ready for service by night and by day and be diligent, industrious and vigilant."<ref name="PBS" />

Although the 1737 Act created the basis of the fire department, the actual legal entity was incorporated in the State of New York on March 20, 1798 under the name of "Fire Department, City of New York."

The city's oldest fire company still in operation was organized July 10, 1772 as Hook and Ladder Co. 1. The company was disbanded in 1776 when the British Army invaded Manhattan following the Continental Army's loss at the Battle of Brooklyn and the resulting loss of Manhattan after the Landing at Kip's Bay, and most of the firefighters making up the company fled the city. Following the British Evacuation of New York in November 1783, on June 16, 1784, Mutual Hook and Ladder 1 was reorganized. The company operated continuously during the volunteer fire department days, and on the organization of the Paid System, Hook and Ladder Company No.1 was created September 8, 1865, using the same location, the same truck and the same red cap fronts as Mutual Hook and Ladder No.1 did, and nine of her twelve members had served in the old company. It was the only company that was continued with the same number and location, and might be said that Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 has had a continuous existence since June 16, 1784.<ref>{{cite web |title=NYFD |url=https://nyfd.com/manhattan_ladders/ladder_1.html |website=NYFD |access-date=18 April 2024}}</ref> The company has moved firehouses several times since its inception, and has been housed at 100 Duane Street in Tribeca since December 31, 1905, with Engine 7 and Battalion 1. The company later became the first Tower Ladder company in the city in 1964.

In 1845, [[Great New York City Fire of 1845|the last great fire]] to affect [[Manhattan]] began early in the morning and was subdued that afternoon. The fire killed four firefighters, 26 civilians, and destroyed 345 buildings.<ref name="NYTribune">[http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030213/1845-07-21/ed-1/seq-2/ "The Great Fire – Full Particulars of the Buildings Burnt – Names of the Sufferers,"] ''New York Daily Tribune'', July 21, 1845, page 2.</ref><ref name="Codes">{{cite web|url=http://bsj.iccsafe.org/2010Dec/features/nyc_code_history.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130109150840/http://bsj.iccsafe.org/2010Dec/features/nyc_code_history.html|archive-date=2013-01-09|title=Charles Shelhamer, "How Fire Disaster Shaped the Evolution of the New York City Building Code"|work=Building Safety Journal|access-date=June 24, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Others">Terry Golway, ''So Others Might Live: A History of New York's Bravest'', Basic Books, 2002, pp. 80–84.</ref>

===1865–1898===
[[File:Metropolitan Fire Department.jpg|thumb|left|Original sheet celebrating the official formation of the Metropolitan Fire Department, 1866]]

In 1865, the volunteer fire department was abolished by a state act which created the ''Metropolitan Fire District'' and the ''Metropolitan Fire Department'' (''MFD''). This effectively gave control of the fire departments in the cities of New York and Brooklyn to the Governor who appointed his Board of Commissioners. There was never any effective incorporation of the fire departments of the two cities during this period. It wasn't until the Greater City of New York was consolidated in 1898 that the two were combined under one common organization or organizational structure. The change met with a mixed reaction from the citizens, and some of the eliminated volunteers became bitter and resentful, which resulted in both political battles and street fights. The insurance companies in the city, however, finally won the battle and had the volunteers replaced with paid firefighters. The members of the paid fire department were primarily selected from the prior volunteers. All of the volunteer's apparatus, including their fire houses, were seized by the state who made use of them to form the new organization and form the basis of the current FDNY. The MFD lasted until 1870 when the [[William M. Tweed|Tweed Charter]] ended state control in the city. As a result, a new Board of Fire Commissioners was created and the original name of the ''Fire Department City of New York'' (''FDNY'') was reinstated.
[[File:New York City Fire Department Battalion Chief John J. Bresnan (left) answering a call (1887).jpg|thumb|right|Battalion Chief John J. Bresnan (left) answering a call in 1887.  While leading men into a building fire in 1894, Bresnan became trapped and suffocated when a roof collapsed.  It was stated: "no braver, abler or more conscientious man than John J. Bresnan ever drew a paycheck in the service of the City of New York."<ref>{{cite web | title = Bresnan and Assistant Foreman John L. Rooney | publisher = Findmypast | date = September 11, 2014 | url = http://blog.findmypast.com/2014/new-york-heroes-battalion-chief-john-j-bresnan-and-assistant-foreman-john-l-rooney/|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20151017232126/http://blog.findmypast.com/2014/new-york-heroes-battalion-chief-john-j-bresnan-and-assistant-foreman-john-l-rooney/|archive-date=October 17, 2015}}</ref>]]

Initially, the paid fire service only covered present day [[Manhattan]], until the act of 1865 which united [[Brooklyn]] with Manhattan to form the Metropolitan District. The same year the fire department consisted of 13 Chief Officers and 552 Company Officers and firemen. The officers and firemen worked a continuous tour of duty, with three hours a day off for meals and one day off a month, and were paid salaries according to their rank or grade. 1865 also saw the first adoption of regulations, although they were fairly strict and straitlaced. Following several large fires in 1866 (which resulted in excessive fire losses and a rise in insurance rates), the fire department was reorganized under the command of General [[Alexander Shaler]], and with [[military discipline]] the paid department reached its full potential which resulted in a general reduction in fire losses. In 1870, the [[merit system]] of promotion in the Fire Department was established. Southwestern [[Westchester County]] (which would later become the western [[Bronx]]) was annexed by New York in 1874; as a result, the volunteers there were phased out and replaced by the paid department. This pattern was repeated as City services expanded elsewhere.

===1898–2001===
[[File:Image of Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire on March 25 - 1911.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire]] on March 25, 1911]]
[[File:FDNY ambulance, 1949.jpg|thumb|An FDNY ambulance in 1949]]
[[File:FDNY, January 28, 1969.jpg|thumb|FDNY in January 1969]]
On January 1, 1898, the different areas of New York were consolidated, which ushered the Fire Department into a new era. All the fire forces in the various sections were brought under the unified command of the first Commissioner in the history of the Fire Department. This same year, [[Richmond County, New York|Richmond]] (now [[Staten Island]]) became a part of the City of New York. However, the volunteer units there remained in place until they were gradually replaced by paid units in 1915, 1928, 1932 and 1937, when only two volunteer units remained, Oceanic Hook & Ladder Vol Engine and Richmond Fire.

The unification of the Fire Department, which took place in 1898, would pave the way for many changes. In 1909, the Fire Department received its first piece of motorized [[fire apparatus]]. On March 25, 1911 a fire in the [[Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire|Triangle Shirtwaist Company]] killed 146 workers, most of whom were young female immigrants. Later the same year the fire college was formed to train new fire fighters, and on May 1, 1913 the Bureau of Fire Prevention was created.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Revisiting the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire on its 100th Anniversary|url=http://diamondplate.fdny.org/sites/default/files/documents/prevention/2017/03/wnyf-1st-2011-revisiting-triangle-shirtwaist-fire-its-100th-anniversary.pdf}}{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

In 1919, the [[Uniformed Firefighters Association]] was formed. Tower ladders and the SuperPumper System were introduced in 1965. Major apparatus of the SuperPumper System (the SuperPumper and the SuperTender) was phased out in 1982, in favor of the Maxi-Water Unit. But the 5 Satellite Units of the system, together with the Maxi-Water Unit (known as Satellite 6 since 1999) are still actively used as of 2007 for multiple alarm fires and certain other incidents. These are now called the Satellite Water System. Other technical advances included the introduction of high pressure water systems, the creation of a Marine fleet, adoption of vastly improved working conditions and the utilization of improved radio communications.

On November 23, 1965, incoming Mayor Lindsay announced the appointment of [[Robert O. Lowery]] as Fire Commissioner of the New York City Fire Department. His was the first commissioner level appointment announced by the Mayor-elect. Lowery, who was the first African American to serve as a Fire Commissioner of a major U.S. city, served in that position for more than seven years until his resignation on September 29, 1973 in order to campaign for then-Controller [[Abraham D. Beame]], the Democratic candidate for Mayor.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA091EFB3C54167A93C6AB178AD95F418685F9|title=LINDSAY SELECTS A NEGRO TO HEAD FIRE DEPARTMENT - Lowery, Democrat, Will Be First of His Race to Hold That Commissionership - Front Page |newspaper=The New York Times |date=November 24, 1965|last1=Smith |first1=Terence }}</ref>

In 1977,  the New York City Fire Department announced that women could take the exam to become firefighters.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/takingtheheat/film.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070130131703/http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/takingtheheat/film.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 30, 2007|title=Independent Lens . TAKING THE HEAT . The Film|website=www.pbs.org|access-date=2019-04-02}}</ref> After passing the written portion of the exam, [[Brenda Berkman]] and 89 other women subsequently failed the physical portion. It was stated by an official that their physical test was “the most difficult the department had ever administered, [and] was designed more to keep women out than to accurately assess job-related skills.”<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.911memorial.org/blog/honoring-four-women-ground-zero|title=Honoring Four Women of Ground Zero|website=National September 11 Memorial & Museum|access-date=2019-04-02}}</ref> After Berkman's requests for a fairer test were ignored, she filed an ultimately successful class-action lawsuit: ''Brenda Berkman, et al. v. The City of New York'' (1982).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/536/177/2009820/|title=Berkman v. City of New York, 536 F. Supp. 177 (E.D.N.Y. 1982)|website=Justia Law|language=en|access-date=2019-04-02}}</ref> A new test was created in which standards were changed so the test was job-related and Berkman with about 40 other women passed to enter the fire academy in 1982.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/takingtheheat/film.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070130131703/http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/takingtheheat/film.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 30, 2007 |title=Taking the Heat: The First Women Firefighters of New York City |publisher=PBS |access-date=May 20, 2012}}</ref> (''See Brenda Berkman, et al. v. The City of New York'', CV-79-1813, 536 [[F. Supp.]] 177 ([[EDNY|E.D.N.Y.]] 1982), ''aff’d'' Berkman v. City of New York, 705 F.2d 584 (2d Cir. 1983.))

The [[Waldbaum's supermarket fire]] was a major fire on August 2, 1978 in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, New York that killed six FDNY firefighters.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jonas |first1=John |title=Waldbaum's: 40 Years Later |url=https://www.firehouse.com/operations-training/article/21010959/40th-anniversary-of-waldbaums-supermarket-fire |website=Firehouse |date=August 2018 |publisher=Endeavor Business Media, LLC. |access-date=8 February 2021}}</ref>

On March 17, 1996, Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]] merged the emergency medical services of the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation into the FDNY.

====September 11 attacks====
[[File:WTC-remnant highres.jpg|thumb|left|upright|A New York City firefighter looks up at what remains of the [[World Trade Center (1973–2001)|World Trade Center]] after [[Collapse of the World Trade Center|its collapse]] during the September 11 attacks]]

On [[September 11, 2001]], [[American Airlines Flight 11]] and [[United Airlines Flight 175]] were hijacked by two separate groups of five Islamic terrorists affiliated with [[al-Qaeda]] and flown into the [[World Trade Center (1973–2001)|World Trade Center]]'s [[1 World Trade Center (1971–2001)|North]] and [[2 World Trade Center (1971–2001)|South Tower]]s respectively, causing massive damage to both towers during impact, and starting fires that caused the weakened 110-story skyscrapers to collapse within less than two hours.<ref name="9/11Commission">{{cite web|url=http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report_Ch1.htm|title=We Have Some Planes|access-date=December 3, 2007|publisher=National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States}}</ref>
[[File:Rescue worker reaching into a New York Police car covered with debris (28802606564).jpg|thumb|NYPD Sergeant searching through a cruiser covered in debris]]
FDNY fire companies and EMS crews were deployed to the World Trade Center minutes after Flight 11 struck the north tower. Chief officers set up a command center in the lobby as first arriving units entered the tower and firefighters began climbing the stairs. A mobile command center was also set up outside on Vesey Street, but was destroyed when the towers collapsed. A command post was then set up at a firehouse in [[Greenwich Village]]. The FDNY deployed 121 engine companies, 62 truck companies, five rescue companies, six squad companies, 27 Chief Officers, along with many other units to the site, with more than 1,000 firefighters, EMTs and paramedics on the scene when the towers collapsed.<ref name="Fire Engineering">{{cite news|title=WORLD TRADE CENTER DISASTER: INITIAL RESPONSE|date=September 2, 2002|work=Fire Engineering|author=Manning, Bill}}</ref><ref name="Fritsch">{{cite news|title=A Day of Terror – The Response: Rescue Workers Rush In, and Many Do Not Return|date=September 12, 2001|work=The New York Times|author=Fritsch, Jane}}</ref>

[[File:NY Firefighter Deputy chief at wtc.jpg|thumb|right|A New York City Deputy chief coordinates the [[Rescue and recovery effort after the September 11, 2001 attacks|recovery effort]] underway at the World Trade Center]]

Many firefighters arrived at the World Trade Center without meeting at the command centers. Problems with radio communication caused commanders to lose contact with many of the firefighters who went into the towers; those firefighters were unable to hear evacuation orders.<ref>Kevin Baker, "A Fate Worse than Bush: Rudy Giuliani and the Politics of Personality," ''Harpers,'' August 2007, p. 37, citing Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn, ''102 Minutes: The Untold Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers'' (Times Books, 2002)</ref> There was practically no communication with the New York City Police Department, which had helicopters at the scene. When the towers collapsed, hundreds were trapped within and 343 fire department members along with 1 [[New York Fire Patrol|fire patrolman]] were killed.<ref name="Roma2">{{cite news|last1=Chang|first1=Dean|date=29 December 2001|title=Father's Wait Ends; Fire Patrol vet pulls son's remains from WTC|work=New York Daily News|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/father-wait-ends-fire-patrol-vet-pulls-son-remains-wtc-article-1.919163|url-status=live|access-date=26 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180518074744/http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/father-wait-ends-fire-patrol-vet-pulls-son-remains-wtc-article-1.919163|archive-date=2018-05-18}}</ref>  The fatalities included First Deputy Commissioner [[William M. Feehan]], Chief of Department [[Peter Ganci]],<ref name="Fritsch" /> Department Chaplain [[Mychal Judge]],<ref name="Murphy">{{cite news|title = Honoring the Rescuers|url = https://www.nytimes.com/library/national/091101rescuers.html|date = September 17, 2001|work = The New York Times|author = Dean E. Murphy}}</ref> Battalion Chief [[Orio Palmer]] and Fire Marshal [[Ronald Paul Bucca]].<ref name="NYTimes20021109">{{cite news|url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9905EEDE1531F93AA35752C1A9649C8B63|title = Fire Department Tape Reveals No Awareness of Imminent Doom|work = The New York Times|author = Kevin Flynn, [[Jim Dwyer (journalist)|Jim Dwyer]]|date = November 9, 2002|access-date = September 13, 2008|url-status = live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080331203744/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9905EEDE1531F93AA35752C1A9649C8B63|archive-date = March 31, 2008|df = mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="NYDailyNews20020811">{{cite news|url = http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/2002/08/11/2002-08-11_his_brave_voice_resounds.html|title = His brave voice resounds|work = Daily News|location=New York|author = Michael Daly|date = August 11, 2002|access-date = September 13, 2008|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110815075204/http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/2002/08/11/2002-08-11_his_brave_voice_resounds.html|archive-date = August 15, 2011|df = mdy-all}}
</ref><ref name="LATimes2003-01-03">{{cite news|url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jan-03-me-widows3-story.html|title = A Week in West for 9/11 Firefighter Families|work = Los Angeles Times|author = Mai Tran|date = January 3, 2003|access-date = September 28, 2008|url-status = live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120111124456/http://articles.latimes.com/2003/jan/03/local/me-widows3|archive-date = January 11, 2012|df = mdy-all}}</ref> Hundreds of firefighter funerals were held in the weeks to follow, including 16 in one day on Saturday, September 29, 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/oct/01/september11.usa3|title=City's farewell to its 343 firefighters|first=Audrey|last=Gillan|date=October 1, 2001|access-date=September 10, 2017|work=The Guardian}}</ref>

Following the attacks, citywide fire response times that day rose by just one minute, to an average of 5.5 minutes.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Flynn|first1=Kevin|last2=Dwyer|first2=Jim|date=2002-08-03|title=FIRE DEPT. LAPSES ON 9/11 ARE CITED|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/03/nyregion/fire-dept-lapses-on-9-11-are-cited.html|access-date=2022-02-16|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Many of the surviving firefighters continued to work alternating 24-hour shifts during the [[Rescue and recovery effort after the September 11, 2001 attacks|rescue and recovery effort]], and they were joined by other firefighters and EMS personnel from hundreds of miles around New York City.  Among the arriving units were career and volunteer personnel from Upstate [[New York (state)|New York]], Long Island, [[Connecticut]], [[New Jersey]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[Maryland]], and [[Florida]].

===2002–present===
[[Image:BrooklynFirehouse911Memorial.JPG|thumb|right|A typical New York City firehouse. Pictured is the Brooklyn quarters of Engine Co. 205 and Ladder Co. 118, depicting a mural dedicated to firefighters lost on 9/11.]]
In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in 2001, the Fire Department has rebuilt itself and continues to serve the people of New York. During the [[Northeast Blackout of 2003]], FDNY was called on to rescue hundreds of people from stranded elevators in approximately 800 Manhattan high-rise office and apartment buildings. The entire fire department was held over from the day tour to almost double the total force to 3,401 firefighters to handle the many fires which resulted, reportedly from people using candles for light.<ref name="CFDPPT">{{cite web|url=http://www.cfdconference.com/Portals/0/Presentations/NewYorkBlackout2003.ppt |title=The Great Northeast Blackout of 2003 |access-date=December 3, 2007 |format=PowerPoint |publisher=Deputy Assistant Chief John Norman, FDNY |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228085603/http://www.cfdconference.com/Portals/0/Presentations/NewYorkBlackout2003.ppt |archive-date=February 28, 2008 }}</ref>

At the beginning of the 21st century, there were 11,400 uniformed fire officers and firefighters under the command of the Chief of Department. The New York City Fire Department also employed 2800 [[Emergency Medical Technician]]s, [[Paramedic]]s and [[Supervisor]]s assigned to Department's EMS Command, and 1200 civilian employees.

In 2003, Mayor Bloomberg ordered the closure of six Engine Companies, four in Brooklyn (Engine 204, Engine 209, Engine 212, Engine 278), one in Manhattan (Engine 36), and one in Queens (Engine 261).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/22/nyregion/six-firehouses-receive-order-close-sunday-morning-lawsuit-save-them-proceeds.html |first1=Michael |last1=Cooper |title=Six Firehouses Receive Order to Close by Sunday Morning, as Lawsuit to Save Them Proceeds |work=[[The New York Times]]|date=May 22, 2003|access-date=2022-01-25 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125155953/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/22/nyregion/six-firehouses-receive-order-close-sunday-morning-lawsuit-save-them-proceeds.html |archive-date=2022-01-25 }}</ref>

In 2015, after the [[2015 Tianjin explosions|2015 Tianjin Explosions]], the FDNY put their flags at half mast in condolence to the Chinese firefighters killed.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-08-20 |title=纽约消防队为天津遇难消防员降半旗致哀 |url=https://www.rfi.fr/cn/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD/20150820-%E7%BA%BD%E7%BA%A6%E6%B6%88%E9%98%B2%E9%98%9F%E4%B8%BA%E5%A4%A9%E6%B4%A5%E9%81%87%E9%9A%BE%E7%9A%84%E6%B6%88%E9%98%B2%E5%91%98%E9%99%8D%E5%8D%8A%E6%97%97%E8%87%B4%E5%93%80 |website=Radio France Internationale}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-08-21 |title=纽约消防局致敬天津牺牲同行 降半旗纪念系自发行为 |url=https://www.guancha.cn/america/2015_08_21_331460.shtml |website=Guancha}}</ref>

In 2019 Lillian Bonsignore became the first openly gay and the first female chief of EMS Operations for the FDNY.<ref>{{cite web |author=Stephen M. Lepore |date=May 7, 2019 |title=EMS appoints first female and openly gay chief |url=https://pix11.com/2019/05/07/ems-appoints-first-female-chief-first-hispanic-assistant-chief/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190509154220/https://pix11.com/2019/05/07/ems-appoints-first-female-chief-first-hispanic-assistant-chief/ |archive-date=2019-05-09 |access-date=2019-05-09 |publisher=WPIX 11 New York}}</ref>

[[Robert S. Tucker|Robert Tucker]] is the current commissioner of the FDNY, appointed by [[Eric Adams]] after [[Laura Kavanagh]] resigned in August 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 12, 2024 |title=Mayor Adams Appoints Robert Tucker as 35th Fire Commissioner of FDNY |url=http://www.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/628-24/mayor-adams-appoints-robert-tucker-35th-fire-commissioner-fdny |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=The official website of the City of New York}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Meko |first=Hurubie |date=2024-08-12 |title=Mayor Adams Names Robert Tucker as New Fire Commissioner |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/11/nyregion/eric-adams-robert-tucker-fire-commissioner.html |access-date=2024-08-12 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Kavanagh was preceded by [[Daniel A. Nigro]], who retired on February 16, 2022 after serving as commissioner for 8 years.<ref name="nigroret">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/16/nyregion/daniel-nigro-fdny-retirement.html|title=What Daniel Nigro Has Seen in a Half-Century of Firefighting|first=ali|last=watkins|work=The New York Times|date=February 16, 2022}}</ref><ref name="intercomm">{{cite web|url=https://abc7ny.com/dan-nigro-fdny-commissioner-daniel/11569770/|title=End of an era: Commissioner Dan Nigro retires after half century with FDNY|date=February 16, 2022|publisher=ABC 7 New York}}</ref> 

====Allegations of race discrimination====
Over the years, the FDNY has faced and has settled numerous discrimination lawsuits alleging that the FDNY engages in a culture where hiring discrimination towards racial minorities and discrimination towards racial minorities employed by the FDNY by passing them over for raises and promotions is encouraged.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amny.com/news/fdny-discrimination-lawsuit-1.15340045|title=Lawsuit alleges FDNY discriminates against black employees|website=am New York|date=December 6, 2017}}</ref> Most notably in 2014, the City of New York made a $98 million discrimination lawsuit settlement for a lawsuit brought by the Vulcan Society, an African-American firefighter fraternal organization.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.diversityinc.com/fdny-discrimination-lawsuit-settled/|title=FDNY Discrimination Lawsuit Settled|date=March 25, 2014|access-date=April 24, 2019|archive-date=April 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424231344/https://www.diversityinc.com/fdny-discrimination-lawsuit-settled/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/city-pay-98-million-fdny-discrimination-case-article-1.1725702|title=New York City to pay $98 million to settle case alleging FDNY discriminated against minority applicants|first=Edgar Sandoval, John|last=Marzulli|website=nydailynews.com|date=March 18, 2014 }}</ref> There have also been investigations concerning FDNY firefighters engaging in bullying and harassing behavior of Muslim firefighters including behavior such as firefighters trying to slip pork products, which are prohibited under Islamic law, into the food of Muslim firefighters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2018/01/05/fdny-clears-out-not-so-friendly-firehouse-amid-bullying-allegations-shooting-threats/|title=FDNY clears out not-so 'friendly firehouse' amid bullying allegations, shooting threats|first1=Susan|last1=Edelman|first2=David K.|last2=Li|date=January 5, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/black-muslim-firefighter-harassed-fdny-racism-complaints-article-1.3873011|title=Black Muslim firefighter was harassed for 12 years by co-workers for complaining about FDNY racism: suit|first=JANON|last=FISHER|website=nydailynews.com|date=March 13, 2018 }}</ref> In another case, the son of a former FDNY commissioner was hired as a firefighter despite allegedly making anti-Semitic comments.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2017/12/02/hateful-son-of-ex-fdny-commish-hired-as-city-firefighter/|title=Hateful son of ex-FDNY commish hired as city firefighter|first1=Susan|last1=Edelman|first2=Linda|last2=Massarella|date=December 2, 2017}}</ref>

==Ideology and core competencies==
[[File:FDNY Haz-Tec.JPG|thumb|right|An 2008 Ford F-450 FDNY Haz-Tac Ambulance]]
[[File:Fdny-ems-station-under-railroad.jpg|thumb|right|FDNY EMS station 7]]

The FDNY derives its name from the [[Tammany Hall#Tweed regime|Tweed Charter]] which created the ''Fire Department of the City of New York''. This is in contrast to most other fire departments in the U.S. where the name of the city precedes the words ''fire department''.<ref>[http://nyfd.com/history/fdny.html – 1870]</ref>

===Ideology===
* The FDNY ideology of aggressive interior fire attack grew naturally out of the building and population density that characterize the city.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nycfiremuseum.org/education/history/chapter13.php|title=New York City Fire Museum|website=nycfiremuseum.org|access-date=September 10, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20050101102340/http://www.nycfiremuseum.org/education/history/chapter13.php|archive-date=January 1, 2005}}</ref>
* The contribution of [[Irish Americans|Irish]] and [[Italian Americans]] to the FDNY dates back to the formation of the paid fire department. During the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], New York's [[Irish Americans in New York City|Irish]] and [[Italian Americans in New York City|Italian]] firefighters were the backbone of the [[11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment]] (New York Fire Zouaves), a highly decorated unit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.myrtle-avenue.com/firezou/|title=The 11th New York Volunteer Infantry – First Fire Zouaves|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071120021539/http://www.myrtle-avenue.com/firezou/|archive-date=November 20, 2007}}</ref>
* Members of the FDNY have the nickname "''New York's Bravest.''"<ref name="NYC IQ">{{cite web|title=NYC IQ|url=https://thecitiview.com/nyc/articles/nyc-iq/5708/c831/|publisher=The Cityview New York|access-date=October 28, 2017|archive-date=October 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171028145955/https://thecitiview.com/nyc/articles/nyc-iq/5708/c831/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Members of the FDNY EMS have the nickname "''New York's Best.''"<ref name="NYC IQ" />
* In addition to firefighting, technical rescue, and [[HAZMAT|hazardous materials mitigation]], FDNY stations ambulances throughout the city, and supplies [[paramedic]]s and [[Emergency medical technician|EMTs]].

Together with ambulances run by certain participating hospitals (locally known as [[Voluntary ambulance (New York City)|voluntaries]], not to be confused with volunteers) and private companies, it is known as the '''FDNY EMS Command''', which is the largest pre-hospital care provider in the world, responding to over 1.5&nbsp;million calls each year. All of the FDNY EMS Command members are also trained to the ''HAZMAT Operations'' level. A select group of 39 EMS units (18 BLS and 21 ALS) are known as '''Hazardous Material Tactical Units.''' Haz-Tac Ambulance members are trained to the level of ''Hazardous Materials Technician'', which allows them to provide emergency medical care and [[decontamination]] in hazardous environments, in addition to their normal pre-hospital duties. Of these 39, eleven are also '''Rescue Paramedic Ambulances''', whose crews are additionally trained for: Confined Space Rescue, Trench Rescue, Crush Injuries, and Building Collapse Rescues. Both the Rescue Medics and Haztac units operate with additional, exclusive protocols and specialized medical equipment.<ref>
{{cite web|url=http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/history/ems.shtml|title=FDNY – EMS History|access-date=August 18, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060813214551/http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/history/ems.shtml|archive-date=August 13, 2006|url-status=dead}}
</ref> [[File:NYC firehose connection 18.jpg|thumb|right|upright|A fire department sprinkler siamese connection in Manhattan]]

===Core competencies===
A citywide [https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/em/downloads/pdf/Appendix_cims_charts.pdf Incident Management System plan] released by the [https://www1.nyc.gov/site/operations/index.page Office of the Mayor] on May 14, 2004 set forth several "core competencies," which determine which agency has the authority to direct operations.<ref>{{harvp|Griffiths|2007|page=210}}</ref> FDNY core competencies include:
* Fire suppression
* Pre-hospital [[Emergency medical services|emergency medical care]]
* [[Search and rescue]]
* Structural evacuation
* [[CBRNE]]/HAZMAT life safety and mass decontamination
* Cause and origin, and arson investigations
* Fire prevention inspections

==Training==
[[File:FDNY NY Fire Department Academy entrance IMG 2678 HLG.jpg|thumb|FDNY Fire Academy entrance on Randall's Island]]
Located centrally at the Training Academy on Randall's Island, the Bureau of Training is responsible for all firefighter training needs for the Fire Department of New York.<ref>{{cite web|title=New York City Fire Department|url=http://www.nationalccrs.org/organizations/new-york-city-fire-department|publisher=The University of the State of New York|access-date=October 28, 2017}}</ref> Initial training of all firefighter candidates undergo an 18-week academy that consists of classroom education and physical fitness performance.<ref>{{cite web|title=Candidate Resources|url=http://www1.nyc.gov/site/fdny/jobs/career-paths/candidate-resources.page|publisher=The City of New York|access-date=October 28, 2017}}</ref> EMS training occurs at The FDNY EMS Academy located at [[Fort Totten (Queens)]] where EMT training is 13–18 weeks and paramedic training is 9 months.

==Communications==
{{multiple issues|section=yes|{{Update|type=section|demospace=section|inaccurate=yes|date=January 2019}}
{{More citations needed section|date=June 2015}}}}
[[Image:FDNY radio Empire Blvd jeh.JPG|thumb|The former FDNY Brooklyn Communications Dispatch Office]]
[[Image:Woodhavnfdnyteljeh.JPG|thumb|The former FDNY Queens Communications Dispatch Office in [[Woodhaven, Queens]]]]
There are two Bureau of Fire Communications Dispatch Offices: ''Public Safety Answering Center 1'' (PSAC 1) located at 11 Metrotech Center, Brooklyn, and ''Public Safety Answering Center 2'' (PSAC 2) located at 350 Marconi Street, Bronx. PSAC 1 covers Brooklyn, Staten Island and Citywide which is part of the Joint Operation Center as of October 2020. PSAC 2 covers the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens.

An initial call to an FDNY Communications Dispatch Office is taken by the ''Alarm Receipt Dispatcher'' (ARD), who speaks with the caller in order to determine the nature of the emergency. The ARD interrogates the caller to ascertain pertinent information and processes it into the Starfire computer system, which generates an incident and provides a recommended fire department resource response based on the information provided. This information is automatically sent to the ''Decision Dispatcher'' (DD).

When the Decision Dispatcher has made a decision as to what units will actually be assigned to the incident, unless the supervisor intervenes, the dispatcher releases the incident with assigned companies. An alarm is routed to the assigned companies, both in their respective firehouses and to the individual [[mobile data terminal]]s (MDT), of each company's apparatus when it is in the field, depending on where the Starfire computer shows them to be situated. If a company/unit in a firehouse does not acknowledge the run within 30 seconds, the computer will notify the ''Voice Alarm Dispatcher'' (VAD), who will call that unit via radio in their firehouse by the dedicated intercom system. One minute after the alarm is released, it will appear on the computer screen of the radio dispatcher (Radio), who will announce the alarm and the response two times, and ask for acknowledgment from any companies assigned who have not done so by radio, voice alarm, or MDT. The radio dispatcher has a special keyboard called the Status Entry Panel (SEP), which is used to update the status of units based on information received by radio.

The entire process from initial notification until a unit is dispatched can take up to two minutes, depending on the complexity of the call, the information provided by the caller(s), and the degree of other alarm activity in the office. If a dispatch office is so busy that its incoming telephone alarm lines are all occupied or not answered within 30 seconds, the call is automatically transferred to another borough dispatch office. If an Emergency Reporting System (ERS) street fire alarm box is not answered within 60 seconds, usually because all of the alarm receipt consoles are in use, the computer automatically dispatches an engine company to the location of the physical street fire alarm box.

Any communications dispatch office in the city can take a fire or emergency call by telephone for any borough, and upon completion of information taking, the incident will automatically be routed by the Starfire computer to the Decision Dispatcher (DD) for the borough in which the incident is reported.

Fire Dispatch has a minimum staffing (Staffing Level 1), which consist of one ''Chief Dispatcher'', who supervises five ''Tour Supervising Dispatchers'' (1 in each Borough). The TSDs supervises between 4–8 Dispatchers, depending on Borough and Time/Day. The minimum staffing may be increased based on many variables, such as: an extraordinary increase in volume of incidents, a catastrophic event, in preparation of a storm, and during large events.

===Alarm receipt and transmittal===
[[File:Fire Dpt monument 100 RSD jeh.JPG|thumb|right|The ''[[Firemen's Memorial (Manhattan)|Firemen's Memorial]]'', a monument to the heroes of the Fire Department in Manhattan.]]
There are four ways in which fires and emergencies can be reported to the New York City Fire Department: telephone alarms; fire alarm boxes; "Class 3" alarms; verbal alarms.
* '''Telephone alarms''' are the most common method of contacting the fire department. A telephone alarm is an alarm in which a civilian uses a telephone to dial one of three types of numbers: The first is [[9-1-1]], which is answered by [[New York City Police Department]] (NYPD) operators. The NYPD operators will then transfer the call to a fire department communications office. The second involves dialing "0" which routes the call to a telephone company operator, who then transfers the call to the fire dispatchers in the proper borough dispatch office. The third is a special seven-digit telephone number, which is published in each borough for the specific purpose of reporting fires. This number is a direct contact to a particular borough's fire department communications dispatch office.
* '''Fire alarm boxes''' are the second most common method of contacting the fire department. FDNY [[fire alarm box]]es are located on certain street corners and in certain public buildings, such as schools and hospitals, as well as along highways, on bridges, etc. These boxes primarily consist of two types: The first is the mechanical box (also commonly called a ''pull-box'' or a ''telegraph box''), in which a spring-wound mechanism alternately opens and closes an electrical circuit, thereby rendering a coded number linked to the specific location of the box. Until the advent of the Starfire "Computer-Assisted Dispatch System" (CADS), dispatchers had to audibly count the taps from mechanical boxes when they were received in the central offices to decipher the number of the box that was pulled. Today, a "Box Alarm Readout System" (BARS) display handles that aspect of the job; The second type is the "Emergency Reporting System" (ERS) box that is equipped with buttons to notify either the FDNY or the NYPD, allowing either department's dispatcher to have direct voice communication with the reporting party. Beginning in the 1970s, ERS boxes started to replace mechanical boxes in many areas of the city, particularly where the number of false alarms involving mechanical boxes were high. In December 1994, then-Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani|Rudolph Giuliani]] and then-Fire Commissioner [[Howard Safir]] began a concerted effort to remove all of the mechanical and ERS boxes throughout New York City in a cost-cutting move. Facing stiff opposition from members of the city council, community groups, dispatchers, and others, the move was blocked by court order as being discriminatory against the disabled (i.e., particularly the speech- and/or hearing-impaired) who—along with the poor—might otherwise have no dependable way to report fires and emergencies if the alarm boxes were eliminated. (In addition, unlike many other cities in the world, it was noted that 117 different languages and dialects are spoken by the residents of and visitors to the city. Since, unlike telephones, a fire alarm box requires no verbal contact to indicate its exact location, a person would not have to be able to speak—at all—or to understand English in order to alert the FDNY or NYPD to a fire or other emergency. For this reason, as well, the boxes were recognized as being vital to New Yorkers' safety.) The court order to block the removal of the boxes provided a means for people to report emergencies during the [[Northeast blackout of 2003|2003 blackout]], when other forms of communication were cut off. The fire alarm boxes, independent of outside power, continued to function the entire time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fdnewyork.com/lightsout.asp|title=Who Turned Out the Lights?|website=fdnewyork.com|access-date=September 10, 2017}}</ref>
* '''"Class 3" alarms''' are less common than the first two means of reporting fires. A "Class 3" alarm is one of three numerical classes of alarms given by the FDNY's Bureau of Communications to alert the fire department to automatic fire alarm systems, which are routed through commercial alarm companies. These firms monitor sprinkler systems, standpipes, smoke detectors, and internal pull-stations in non-public occupancies, such as: factories, warehouses, stores, and office buildings. When alarms are received from such accounts, these companies pass along the information to the FDNY central offices, usually by dedicated telephone circuits. The term "Class 3" was derived from the fact that the box number on such an assignment card would have a "3" preceding it, in addition to a "terminal" following it (e.g., "3-7012-4" would indicate a private alarm system in a commercial occupancy at a specific address, in the immediate vicinity of Box 7012, on the corner of Review Avenue and Laurel Hill Boulevard in Queens). In such cases, the type of alarm (e.g., sprinkler, smoke detector, interior pull-station, etc.) and an exact address—and, often, even a specific section of a building—would instantly be made available to responding units.)
* '''Verbal alarms''' are the least common means of reporting fires or emergencies, and generally involves civilians "verbally" making such reports directly to firehouses or fire companies. This can include incidents that are observed by fire units themselves when they are away from their quarters. However, "verbal" alarms may also be reported by EMS Bureau personnel, NYPD personnel, chief officers, Department officials (e.g., commissioners, medical officers, chaplains, et al.), or civilian employees of the FDNY (e.g., communications electricians, mechanics, dispatchers, etc.), who observe fires or emergencies in the course of the performance of their duties. If a fire company is available in quarters, it will immediately respond to the incident after advising the dispatchers of the same via telephone, voice alarm, or radio. If the unit is away from its firehouse (e.g., responding to or operating at another alarm, on inspection duty, etc.) at the time, the company will either stop at the new incident and operate, or the officer will request a separate assignment (as the reporting unit is unavailable to operate). Based on the information received by the dispatchers, the appropriate action (e.g., transmitting a new box, etc.) is initiated in regard to the new incident.

When a member of the public dials 911, the caller is connected to a police department operator, who assigns the call to where it needs to go based on the information provided.
* If it is police related, the information is sent to an NYPD radio dispatcher for the precinct or special unit concerned.
* If it is on a bridge or in a tunnel connected to New Jersey or at [[John F. Kennedy International Airport|Kennedy]] or [[LaGuardia Airport]], the [[Port Authority of New York and New Jersey]] is also notified.
* If it is a fire, [[haz-mat]], or [[rescue]] incident, the 9-1-1 operator transfers the call by dedicated phone line to the appropriate FDNY communications dispatch office. (Depending on the type of incident, the NYPD may notify its own Emergency Service Units to respond instead of ''or'' along with the Fire Department.)
Fire alarm dispatchers handle comparatively few medical calls made directly to them, since the vast majority of such incidents are routed straight to the FDNY's EMS communications office by the NYPD 9-1-1 operators. However, a medical call that requires the assistance of "first-responder"-trained fire units will have said request routed electronically to the appropriate fire alarm central office, for the assignment of the proper personnel and apparatus.

====Box numbers====
Each address in the city is assigned a box number, based on the closest street, special building, or highway box. The term "box" refers to the [[Manual fire alarm activation|Fire Alarm Boxes]], which at one time lined street corners and in front of certain buildings. Each Fire Alarm Box was given a specific number by the FDNY's Bureau of Communications. Even if the physical fire alarm box is no longer at a specific address or street corner, the address or street corner is still assigned that fire alarm box's number. Box numbers can be duplicated in different boroughs, which is why they are always identified by borough name or numerical prefix on the computer (66 for Bronx and Manhattan, 77 for Brooklyn, 88 for Staten Island and 99 for Queens). If there is also a street address given to the dispatchers, the responding apparatus will get this information in the firehouse, over the air, and via their mobile data terminals in the rigs—in addition to the Box number. At present, there are about 16,000 physical fire alarm street boxes in New York City, with many additional special building boxes and highway boxes, as well as "dummy boxes" used for special response assignments. In addition there are two airport crash boxes, one in the LaGuardia Tower, (Queens Box 37), and one in the JFK Tower, (Queens Box 269), which can only be activated by the personnel in these towers. When either box is sounded, it brings an automatic second alarm (2–2) response of equipment, along with various special units.

====Critical Information Dispatch System====
'''Critical Information Dispatch System''' (CIDS, pronounced by the dispatcher as "Sids") data is transmitted to units in the firehouse and en route. It is information that is collected about a building during inspections and by public input, which would affect fire-fighting operations. For example:
* Warehoused apartments.
* Type and length of line stretch (or hose).
* Number of apartment units per floor.
* Unsafe conditions, standpipe conditions, and anything else the Bureau of Fire Communications or the FDNY Staff Chiefs deem important.

This information is printed on the fire ticket, and can be read by the dispatcher if requested. This information is also read automatically when a signal 10–75 (working fire) or higher signal is given, or when the supervising dispatcher deems it is important for the units to have it before arrival at an incident.

==== Radio and bell code signals ====
The New York City Fire Department utilizes a system of [[ten-code]] radio signals, in addition to an internal one involving "bell codes" (that their origin to the days when coded telegraph signals were sent over a closed, wired system within the Department) to transmit and relay information involving both emergency communications and general, Departmental operations. There are fifty-five "10-codes" used by the Department.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fdnewyork.com/10code.asp|title=F.D.N.Y. 10 Codes|website=FD New York (unofficial page)|author=Dispatcher "FD347"|location=New York|access-date= February 7, 2016}}</ref> There are also sub-codes specific to certain "10-codes." The FDNY is currently one of the last, large fire departments in the country using "10-Codes," as opposed to "plain English," to communicate information by radio.

{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="bottom"
! Signal
! Meaning
|-
| '''1–1''' || 1st alarm response transmitted "box after initial" (Upon additional information or sources received at dispatch operations, dispatchers will fill the optimum assignment compared to the minimum response. Response assignment varies depending on the nature of the reported emergency. This is not a signal that there is a working fire or emergency; a "10-75" or signal 7-5 (announced as an "all hands"), used by a responding unit or chief is confirmation of a fire or emergency).
|-
| '''2-2''' || 2nd alarm announcement and response.
|-
| '''3''' || Indicating an alarm originating in a special FDNY alarm box (8000 series boxes).
|-
| '''3-3''' || 3rd alarm announcement and response.
|-
| '''4''' || Battalion Chief response required.
|-
| '''4-4''' || 4th alarm announcement and response.
|-
| '''5''' || Engine company response required.
|-
| '''5-5''' || 5th alarm announcement and response.
|-
| '''5–7''' || 1 engine company and 1 ladder company response required.
|-
| '''5-5-5-5''' || Line of duty death (LODD); Flags lowered to half staff.
|-
| '''6''' || Marine company response required.
|-
| '''6-5-2''' || Department message.
|-
| '''6-6''' || Preliminary Signal for the Boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. (The Box number following the preliminary signal will determine the Borough. Manhattan and the Bronx do not have the same Street Box numbers.)
|-
| '''7''' || Ladder company response required.
|-
| '''7-5''' || All-Hands announcement "All hands going to work (or operating)." This is a signal that is given by a Chief, which indicates that at least three engine companies and two ladder companies are (or will be) operating at a scene of a confirmed emergency. This requires the assignment of an additional engine company, a "FAST" ('''F'''irefighter '''A'''ssist and '''S'''earch '''T'''eam) company, an additional Battalion Chief, a Division Chief, a squad company, a rescue company, and a "RAC" Unit ('''R'''ecuperation '''A'''nd '''C'''are) Unit.
|-
| '''7-7''' || Preliminary signal for the Borough of Brooklyn.
|-
| '''8''' || Squad company response required.
|-
| '''8-8''' || Preliminary signal for the Borough of Staten Island.
|-
| '''9''' || Preliminary report for special units.
|-
| '''9-9''' || Preliminary signal for the Borough of Queens.
|-
| '''10''' || Rescue company response required.
|-
| '''14''' || Battalion Chief relocation or returning from relocation.
|-
| '''15''' || Engine company relocation or returning from relocation.
|-
| '''16''' || Marine company relocation or returning from relocation.
|-
| '''17''' || Ladder company relocation or returning from relocation.
|}

==Fire companies and specialty/support units==
{{More citations needed section|date=May 2018}}
[[File:Peter Stehlik - FDNY Engine 34 - 2012.05.18.jpg|thumb|left|A typical FDNY engine company, also known as a pumper or rig. Pictured is Engine Company 34, quartered in Manhattan.]]
[[File:Peter Stehlik - FDNY Ladder 4 - 2012.05.23.jpg|thumb|A typical FDNY ladder company, also known as a truck. Pictured is an aerial ladder truck operated by Ladder Company 4, quartered in Manhattan.]]
[[File:Dyker Heights Ladder 149.jpg|thumb|A tower ladder truck is another type of truck operated by the FDNY. Pictured is a tower ladder truck operated by Ladder Company 149, quartered in Brooklyn.]]
[[File:Ladder 5 FDNY on 8th Av 48th St jeh.jpg|thumb|A tiller truck or tractor-drawn aerial ladder truck is another type of Ladder Truck operated by the FDNY. Pictured is a tiller ladder truck operated by Ladder Company 5, quartered in Manhattan.]]
[[File:Peter Stehlik - FDNY Rescue 1 - 2012.05.18.JPG|thumb|A typical FDNY rescue company, also known as a rescue truck. Pictured is Rescue Company 1, which serves a large portion of Manhattan.]]
[[File:ThreeFortyThree FireFighterII.jpg|thumb|Marine Company 1, ''Fireboat Three Forty Three'', quartered on the Hudson River, and Marine Company 9, ''Fireboat Firefighter II'', quartered in New York Harbor.]]
[[File:Peter Stehlik - FDNY HazMat 1 - 2012.05.23.jpg|thumb|Haz-Mat. Company 1, quartered in Queens, responds to all major hazardous materials-related calls citywide.]]
[[File:Peter Stehlik - FDNY HazMat 1A - 2012.05.23.jpg|thumb|Haz-Mat. Company 1's second piece of apparatus, which carries additional equipment, and responds to all calls with the main apparatus.]]
[[File:EAGLE INSIGNIA ON A NEW YORK CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT TRUCK. THIS PROJECT IS A PORTRAIT OF THE INNER CITY ENVIRONMENT. IT... - NARA - 555932.jpg|thumb|right|Eagle insignia on an FDNY rig, 1974. Photo by [[Danny Lyon]].]]
The New York City Fire Department is made up of fire companies, similar to military companies. Each fire company operates a single type of [[Fire apparatus]], and has four shifts of firefighters and company officers. Each company responds to emergency calls from one of the city's 218 [[Fire station|firehouses]].

There are currently six different types of fire companies in the New York Fire Department, which all operate distinct types of apparatus: 197 engine companies, 143 ladder (or truck) companies, 5 rescue companies, 8 squad companies, 3 marine (or [[fireboat]]) companies, and the hazardous materials (hazmat) company. In addition to these six types of fire companies, there are numerous other specialized units that are operated by the Special Operations Command (S.O.C.), the Haz-Mat. Division, and the Marine Division. Each fire company has a specific role at the scene of an emergency.

Each type of fire company utilizes a certain type of fire apparatus, colloquially known as "rigs". Engine companies may be known as “engines” and ladder companies may be known as “trucks.”

===Engine companies===
Engine Companies in the New York City Fire Department are tasked with fire suppression, which includes: securing a water supply from a fire hydrant, deploying handlines, then extinguishing a fire. These units respond to other emergencies as well. The apparatus of an engine is known as a ''pumper truck,'' and carries a pump (usually 1,000–2,000 gallons per minute), a water tank (usually 500 gallons), fire hoses of varying diameters (usually 1 3/4", 2 1/2", 3 1/2" and 4") in 50' lengths, emergency medical services supplies, ground extension ladders, and an assortment of basic firefighting and rescue tools. There are 197 Engine Companies in the FDNY.

===Ladder companies (truck companies)===
Ladder Companies (also known as ''truck companies'') in the New York City Fire Department are tasked with forcible entry, search and rescue, ventilation, and ladder-pipe operations at the scene of a fire. They also respond to a variety of specialized emergencies. A ladder company can operate three types of ladder trucks: a rear mounted aerial ladder truck, equipped with a 100' aerial ladder mounted at the rear of the apparatus; a tower ladder truck, equipped with either a 75' or 95' telescoping boom and bucket mounted in the center of the apparatus; and a tractor-drawn aerial ladder truck known as a "hook and ladder" truck, equipped with a 100' aerial ladder. A ladder company will be equipped with various forcible entry tools, ventilation equipment, and a variety of rescue tools, in addition to other tools and equipment to deal with an assortment of fires, technical rescues, and other emergencies, including motor vehicle accidents and other responses. There are 143 Ladder Companies in the FDNY.

===Rescue companies===
Rescue Companies in the New York City Fire Department are composed of specially-trained members who respond to and deal with a wide variety of rescue situations . A Rescue Company is tasked with responding to and dealing with specialized fire rescue incidents that are beyond the scope and duties of a standard engine company or ladder company. Rescue companies operate rescue trucks, nicknamed "tool boxes on wheels," which carry a wide variety of specialized tools and equipment to aid in operations at technical rescue situations, such as: rope rescues, building collapse rescues, confined space rescues, trench/excavation rescues, machinery and vehicle extrication/rescues, water rescues and a variety of other technical rescue situations. They respond to all structure fires within their response district as well. There are 5 full-time Rescue Companies in the FDNY. Each  Rescue Company also operates a specialized building collapse rescue vehicle. The Rescue Companies have a wide variety of Specialized Tools and Equipment including the Jaws Of Life Hydraulic Rescue Tool Systems (Spreaders, Cutters, Combi Tools, Rams, Etc),Numerous Air Bags, Heavy Lifting Equipment, Specialized Cutting Torches, Specialized Air, Electric and Battery Operated Breaching, Breaking and Cutting Tools, Rope Rescue Equipment, Water Rescue Equipment, Emergency Medical Services Equipment and other Specialized Tools and Equipment. 
* Rescue Company 1: Rescue Company 1 serves [[Manhattan]] below 125th St. on the West Side, and below 116th St. on the East Side. Rescue Company 1's quarters are located at 530 W. 43rd St. in the [[Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan|Hell's Kitchen]] neighborhood of [[Midtown, Manhattan]].
* Rescue Company 2: Rescue Company 2 serves central and northwestern [[Brooklyn]], not including parts of Williamsburg and Greenpoint. Rescue Company 2's quarters are located at 1815 Sterling Pl. in the [[Crown Heights, Brooklyn|Crown Heights]] neighborhood of Brooklyn.
* Rescue Company 3: Rescue Company 3 serves the [[Bronx]] and [[Harlem]] above 125th St. on the West Side, and above 116th St. on the East Side. Rescue Company 3's quarters are located at 1655 Washington Ave. in the Claremont neighborhood of the Bronx.
* Rescue Company 4: Rescue Company 4 serves [[Queens]], and parts of northern of Brooklyn. Rescue Company 4 is quartered with Engine 292 at 64–18 Queens Blvd. in the [[Woodside, Queens|Woodside]] neighborhood of Queens.
* Rescue Company 5: Rescue Company 5 serves [[Staten Island]] and parts of southern [[Brooklyn]]. Rescue Company 5 is quartered with Engine 160, TSU 2, and the Chief of the 8th Division at 1850 Clove Rd., in the [[Grasmere, Staten Island|Grasmere]] neighborhood of [[Staten Island]].

===Squad companies===
The Squad Companies are also composed of specially trained firefighters of the New York Fire Department. Squad companies were initially established by the FDNY to serve as "manpower companies," to supplement the manpower and operations of engine companies and ladder companies. Today, squad companies can function as either engine companies or ladder companies at the scene of a fire or other emergencies, but they are also equipped with the same equipment and specialized tools as the Rescue Companies. In particular, members of a squad company are highly trained in mitigating hazardous materials (hazmat) incidents, supplementing the FDNY's single hazmat company. There are 8 Squad Companies in the FDNY:
* Squad Company 1:Squad Company 1 serves northwestern, western and southern [[Brooklyn]]. Squad Company 1's quarters are located at 788 Union St. in the [[Park Slope]] neighborhood of Brooklyn.
* Squad Company 8:Squad Company 8 serves [[Staten Island]]. Squad Company 8 is quartered with the Staten Island Borough Commander at 3730 Victory Blvd. in the [[Travis, Staten Island|Travis]] neighborhood of Staten island. Staten Island was served by Squad Company 1 until 2018, when Engine 154 was disbanded and Squad Company 8 was organized in the former quarters. Before that, Staten Island was the only borough without its own squad company.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fireapparatusmagazine.com/photogalleries/photo-of-the-day/2018/07/pg015.html|title=FDNY Engine 154 Renamed Squad 8--First Squad Company for Staten Island|website=www.fireapparatusmagazine.com|access-date=December 10, 2018|archive-date=December 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181211010611/https://www.fireapparatusmagazine.com/photogalleries/photo-of-the-day/2018/07/pg015.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Squad Company 18:Squad Company 18 serves [[Manhattan]] below 125th St. Squad Company 18's quarters are located at 132 W. 10th St. in the [[West Village]] neighborhood of Manhattan.
* Squad Company 41:Squad Company 41 serves the southwestern [[The Bronx|Bronx]] and Manhattan above 125th St. Squad Company 41's quarters are located at 330 E. 150th St. in the [[South Bronx]] neighborhood of the Bronx.
* Squad Company 61:Squad Company 61 serves the northeastern Bronx. Squad Company 61 is quartered with the Chief of the 20th Battalion at 1518 Williamsbridge Rd. in the [[Morris Park, Bronx|Morris Park]] neighborhood of the Bronx.
* Squad Company 252:Squad Company 252 serves northeastern and eastern Brooklyn. Squad Company 252's quarters are located at 617 Central Ave. in the [[Bushwick]] neighborhood of Brooklyn.
* Squad Company 270:Squad Company 270 serves southern [[Queens]]. Squad Company 270 is quartered with the Chief of the 13th Division at 91–45 121st St. in the [[Richmond Hill, Queens|Richmond Hill]] neighborhood of Queens.
* Squad Company 288:Squad Company 288 serves northern Queens, Greenpoint and parts of Williamsburg. Squad Company 288 is quartered with Haz-Mat.Company 1 at 56–29 68th St. in the [[Maspeth]] neighborhood of Queens.

===Hazardous materials company===
The FDNY hazardous materials (hazmat) company, Haz-Mat 1 (quartered in Queens), responds to all major citywide hazardous materials incidents, building collapses, contamination-related incidents, terrorism-related disasters, major emergencies, and a variety of other incidents in which their services may be needed. Like the Rescue Company and Squad Company Apparatus of the FDNY, members of Haz-Mat Company 1 are experienced and specially trained to deal with hazardous situations. The Haz-Mat company operates a Haz-Mat Truck, similar to a rescue truck, which carries a variety of equipment to deal with hazardous situations. Haz-Mat 1 also operates a smaller rescue truck which carries extra equipment not carried on the company's main piece of apparatus. The Haz-Mat company is supplemented by the squad companies primarily, the rescue companies, and four HMTU engine companies whose members are certified Haz-Mat Technicians. These four engine companies, like the squad companies, also operate medium rescue trucks that carry hazmat equipment. Plugging equipment, Hazmat personal protective equipment, non sparking tools, and other equipment are carried on the Hazardous Materials apparatus.

===Fireboats (marine companies)===
{{main|Fireboats of New York City}}

In addition to its Engine Companies, Ladder (Truck) Companies, Squad Companies, Hazmat Company and Rescue Companies, FDNY operates three Class I [[fireboat]]s as marine companies year round:
* '''Marine Company No. 1''' – ''[[Three Forty Three (fireboat)|Three Forty Three]]'' covering the Hudson River.
* '''Marine Company No. 6''' – ''[[Bravest (fireboat)|Bravest]]'' covering the East River.
* '''Marine Company No. 9''' – ''[[Fire Fighter II]]'' covering the New York Bay.
A * '''Marine Battalion''' which responds on all Maritime incidents when available, and several seasonal (Typically from Mid-May through Early-October) Class II Marine Companies :
* '''Marine Company No. 3'' covering Jamaica Bay.
* '''Marine Company No. 4'' covering Eastchester Bay.
* '''Marine Company No. 8'' covering the Staten Island Shoreline.

Three older fireboats are kept in reserve: ''[[John D. McKean (fireboat)|John D. McKean]]'', ''Governor Alfred E. Smith,'' and ''Kevin C. Kane.''
A former FDNY Marine Unit, the ''[[John J. Harvey (fireboat)|John J. Harvey]]'', is notable as having returned to active service as Marine 2 on September 11, 2001, and providing firefighting services for 80 hours following the attack.<ref name="NPSHarvey">{{cite web|url = http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/fireboat.htm|title = Historic Fireboat Aids in New York City Response and Recovery at World Trade Center|access-date = November 30, 2007|publisher = National Park Service|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070817113650/http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/fireboat.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive -->|archive-date = August 17, 2007}}</ref>

In 2010, the newly built fireboat, ''[[Three Forty Three (fireboat)|Three Forty Three]],'' replaced the ''John D. McKean'', which entered service in 1954, as Marine 1. A twin, 140-foot, vessel, ''[[Fire Fighter II]]'', replaced ''[[Fire Fighter (fireboat)|Fire Fighter]]'', dedicated in 1938, as Marine 9.<ref>NY Daily News on new fireboats</ref> The two new boats cost $60&nbsp;million, funded by a grant from the [[Department of Homeland Security]], and represented the city's first major investment in new fireboats in 50 years. The $2.4&nbsp;million ''Bravest,'' commissioned on May 26, 2011, is smaller than the other two Class I boats, at 65 feet, but is able to operate in shallower waters, including those near the city's airports.

The department also has a fleet of approximately 14 smaller, class II fireboats, with ten 33-foot Rapid Response Fire, three 31-foot medical response, and one 33-foot [[Scuba diving|SCUBA]] boats and other equipment that can be activated for use when needed .<ref name="Fdny2012AnnualReport" />

===Volunteer departments===
[[Image:Brooklyn fire headquarters.jpg|thumb|right|[[Old Brooklyn Fire Headquarters]] near [[MetroTech Center]] pictured in 2007; it was designed by architect [[Frank Freeman (architect)|Frank Freeman]] and built in 1892 for the [[Brooklyn Fire Department]]]]

Nine [[Volunteer fire department|volunteer fire companies]] remain in New York City and respond to calls in their neighborhood, in addition to FDNY units. They are typically in more isolated neighborhoods of the city. By borough, the volunteer companies are:
* Bronx (1) – [[Edgewater Park (Bronx)|Edgewater Park]] Volunteer Hose Company No. 1
* Brooklyn (1) – [[Gerritsen Beach]] Fire Volunteers Inc.
* Queens (5) – West [[Howard Beach, Queens|Hamilton Beach]] VFD, [[Broad Channel]] VFD, [[Roxbury, Queens|Roxbury]] VFD, [[Breezy Point, Queens|Rockaway Point]] VFD, and [[Breezy Point, Queens|Point Breeze]] VFD
* Staten Island (2) – [[Oceanic H&L Company No. 1]], [[Richmond Engine Co. 1]]

The Staten Island volunteer companies are dispatched by the Staten Island Communications Office and operate on the FDNY Staten Island frequency. Broad Channel and West Hamilton Beach have teleprinters in parallel with the FDNY fire companies that also serve their area. The Brooklyn and first four volunteer companies in Queens also provide ambulance services.

The nine volunteer fire departments supplement the FDNY, however, their services have sometimes proven essential. They are especially needed in urgent events, such as storms that can cause flooding conditions that prevent FDNY companies from reaching alarms promptly. Typically, the departments respond in addition to the initial assignment dispatched by the FDNY. The volunteer departments are fully trained and operational with the apparatus and equipment they have. Therefore, when they arrive to a scene first or when needed, they will implement their operations alongside FDNY as applicable.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Volunteer Firemen's Association of The City of New York {{!}} VFANYC |url=https://vfanyc.org/ |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=Volunteer Firemen's Association of The City of New York |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Other units===
[[File:FDNY Fire Engine fights the Brooklyn Paper Warehouse Fire (16420266492).jpg|thumb|FDNY EMS Station 57 Supervisor's Command pickup, a 2012 GMC Extended Crew Cab 4X4 Diesel Pickup XLS, built by Odyssey Specialty Vehicles. Note, an FDNY engine and MERV in the background.]]
[[File:Peter Stehlik - FDNY Collapse Rescue 1 - 2012.05.20.jpg|thumb|Collapse Rescue 1's apparatus]]
[[File:2011-NYC-FDNY-truck-F450.JPG|thumb|One of the many smaller S.O.C. Support Trucks operated by the FDNY for use at various emergencies]]
[[File:FDNY MERV1 CP C64 jeh.jpg|thumb|MERV-1]]
[[File:Special Operations Command 11Sept2021.jpg|thumb|Rescue boat being lowered into the [[East River]] at the [[Roosevelt Island]] FDNY Special Operations Command on September 11, 2021.]]
[[File:New York Fire Department Ambulance.jpg|thumb|A 2017 Ford F-550 FDNY Ambulance]]
* '''Battalion Chief Unit:''' A Battalion Chief Unit is a command vehicle tasked with the responsibility of delivering a Battalion Chief to fires and other emergency incidents. Once on the scene of any Emergency, the vehicle then takes on the role of a Command Vehicle, utilizing its radios and MDT equipment. There are 53 Firefighting Battalion Chief Units as well as the Special Operations/Rescue, Marine, Safety, and HazMat Battalion Chief Units in the FDNY.
* '''Division Chief Unit:''' A Division Chief Unit, like a Battalion Chief Unit, is a command vehicle tasked with the responsibility of delivering a Division Chief to fires and other emergency incidents. Once on the scene of any Emergency, the vehicle then takes on the role of a Command Vehicle, utilizing its radios and [[mobile data terminal|Mobile Data Terminal (MDT)]] equipment. There are 9 Division Chief Units in the FDNY.
* '''Mask Service Unit''' (M.S.U.)''':''' The Mask Service Unit is a vehicle which has equipment that refills the air bottles used by firefighters to breathe in a fire.
* '''Recuperation and Care Unit''' (R.A.C.)''':''' A Recuperation and Care Unit utilizes a vehicle that is specially outfitted with equipment that will enable it to provide rehabilitation to firefighters on a major incident. There are currently 5 RAC Units. The RAC Unit responds to every 10-75.
* '''Field Communications Unit''' (Field Comm.)''':''' The Field Communications Unit utilizes a vehicle that is specially equipped with communication equipment, such as telephones, broadband internet, and mobile radios along with other equipment. Its main responsibility is to provide communication support to the on scene Incident Commander at major incidents.
* '''Satellite Unit''' (Satt.)''':''' A Satellite Unit utilizes a special fire vehicle equipped with extra 4.5 inch large diameter hose, 6 inch diameter suction hose, foam agent and a high-volume deluge gun to support the operations of other fire units on scene. Satellite units respond as part of the second alarm response, and Staten Island first alarms, and certain other boxes.
* '''Tactical Support Unit''' (T.S.U.)''':''' A Tactical Support Unit utilizes a 4x4 vehicle equipped with generators and a variety of high intensity lights to aid firefighters during low light conditions. Additional specialized equipment, such as extrication tools and a six-person Avon boat, are also carried on this vehicle.
* '''Thawing Unit:''' The Thawing Units are vehicles that carry a portable steam-generating boiler; its high-pressure steam is used to thaw frozen hydrants,<ref name="baruch">{{cite web|last1=Akther|first1=Rahinur|title=When the Hydrant Freezes, Firefighters Struggle|url=https://blogs.baruch.cuny.edu/dollarsandsense/2012/01/30/when-the-hydrant-freezes-firefighters-struggle/|website=Dollars & Sense|publisher=Baruch College|access-date=November 27, 2016|date=January 30, 2012}}</ref> connections, and hoselines,<ref>{{cite web|title=FDNY: Frequently Asked Questions|url=http://nycfire.net/forums/index.php?topic=1273.0|website=Nycfire.net|access-date=November 27, 2016|date=April 19, 2008}}</ref> and used to keep equipment on the fireground, such as aerial ladders, free of ice.<ref>{{cite web|title=Viewpoint from 9 MetroTech|url=http://home.nyc.gov/html/fdny/pdf/emp_resources/viewpoint/2007/mar/mar07.pdf|publisher=FDNY|date=March 2007|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161127173112/http://home.nyc.gov/html/fdny/pdf/emp_resources/viewpoint/2007/mar/mar07.pdf#page=8|archive-date=November 27, 2016}}</ref> There is only one thawing unit per borough.<ref name="baruch" />
* '''Brush Fire Unit:''' A Brush Unit utilizes a vehicle that is a four-wheel-drive, all-terrain unit that is used to reach hilly, remote, and marshy areas, in order to extinguish fires involving weeds, grass, and other vegetation. Along with regular firefighting equipment, it carries its own water, in addition to rakes, shovels, and backpack extinguishers.
* '''Ambulance:''' The New York City Fire Department staffs [[Emergency medical technician]] (EMT) Basic Life Support (BLS) and [[Paramedic]] Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances to provide emergency medical services to the city of New York. These are commonly referred to by the slang term ''bus''.
* '''Haz-Tac Ambulance:''' The 39 EMS Units are known as the ''Hazardous Material Tactical Units'' (Haz-Tac Ambulances), and are trained to the Haz Mat Technician level. This allows them to provide emergency medical care and [[decontamination]] in hazardous environments, in addition to their normal 911 duties.
* '''Rescue Medic:''' An Advanced Life Support (ALS) or paramedic ambulance that is trained to the Haz Mat Technician level, and are also trained as Rescue Medical Technicians, specializing in medical care in adverse environments. The members of rescue medic units receive an extra 12% speciality pay.
* '''EMS Conditions Unit:''' A EMS Conditions Vehicle utilizes a vehicle that is assigned to an Emergency Medical Service supervisor. An Emergency Medical Service supervisor oversees ambulances within their assigned area.
* '''Haz Tac Battalion Unit:''' The Haz Tac Battalion Unit utilizes a vehicle that is assigned to an Emergency Medical Service supervisor. This Officer is the Captain of the FDNY EMS SOC unit. The Officer is trained as a Hazmat Technician and as Rescue Technician. The unit responds to speciality assignments in order to oversee the medical management at special assignments, and the overall operation of the Haz Tac Battalion.
* '''Haz Tac Officer's Unit:''' The Haz Tac Officer's Unit utilizes a vehicle that is assigned to an Emergency Medical Service supervisor. This Officer is trained as a Hazmat Technician and as Rescue Technician. The unit responds to specialty assignments in order to oversee the medical management at special assignments. There are two units that cover the entire City of New York 24/7.
* '''EMS MERV:''' A EMS MERV is a vehicle that is assigned to all major medical emergencies within its borough. The Major Emergency Response Vehicle is capable of treating multiple patients at a time.
* '''EMS MRTU:''' A EMS MRTU is a vehicle that is assigned to medical emergencies that have multiple patients. The Mobile Respiratory Treatment Unit is capable of providing multiple patients that require respiratory assistance.
* '''EMS LSU:'''EMS LSUs are vehicles assigned to all medical emergencies that have multiple patients. The Logistical Support Unit carries a surplus of certain medical supplies used at MCIs.
* '''EMS Response Physician:''' A Fire Department EMS Medical Director who is an Emergency Physician with specialized training in Hazardous Material, Technical Rescue, and other specialized prehospital skills, such as on-scene limb amputations. The Response Physician responds to major Mass Casualty Incidents, or as part of the Rescue Medical Task Force for patients requiring technical rescue or prolonged extrication. There are nine EMS response physicians throughout the city who go by the radio designation ''Car 5M''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.n2nov.net/FDNYCarAssignments.html|title=FDNY Car Assignments|website=n2nov.net|access-date=November 24, 2017}}</ref> ("5 Mary Car").

==Ranks==
Below insignia and ranks are attributed to this citation,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/fdny/downloads/pdf/join/join-Probie-Manual.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=December 26, 2020 |archive-date=November 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114111400/https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/fdny/downloads/pdf/join/join-Probie-Manual.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> unless specifically referenced by another source. Fire and EMS officers holding the same title wear the same insignia unless otherwise noted. This department uses Military style insignia for the Shirt Collar, Bugle Insignia for the Dress Collar and Stripes for the Dress Sleeves.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! rowspan="2" |Rank  titles
! colspan="3" |Insignia
|-
!Shirt collar
!Dress collar
!Dress sleeve
|-
!Chief of Department
|[[File:New York Fire Department Chief Rank.png|x50px]]
|[[File:FIRE BUGLES - 5.1 (GOLD).png|x50px]]
|[[File:FDNY Chief of Department Sleeve.svg|x50px]]
|-
!Chief of Operations
| rowspan="2" |[[File:4 Gold Stars.svg|x35px]]
| rowspan="4" |[[File:FIRE BUGLES - 4.3 (GOLD).png|x50px]]
| rowspan="3" |[[File:FDNY Assistant Chief Sleeve.svg|x50px]]
|-
!Chief of EMS
|-
!Assistant Chief
|[[File:3 Gold Stars.svg|x35px]]
|-
!Deputy Assistant Chief
|[[File:2 Gold Stars.svg|x35px]]
|[[File:FDNY Deputy Assistant Chief Sleeve.svg|x50px]]
|-
!Division Commander
| rowspan="4" |[[File:1 Gold Star.svg|x35px]]
| rowspan="6" |[[File:FIRE BUGLES - 3.1 (GOLD).png|x50px]]
| rowspan="6" |[[File:FDNY Deputy Chief Sleeve.svg|x50px]]
|-
!EMS Division Chief
|-
!Senior Chaplain
|-
!Chief Inspector
|-
!Deputy Chief
| rowspan="3" |[[File:Colonel Gold-vector.svg|x35px]]
|-
!Chaplain
|-
!Deputy Chief Inspector
|
|
|-
!Battalion Commander
|[[File:US-O5 insignia.svg|x35px]]
| rowspan="2" |[[File:FIRE BUGLES - 2.4 (GOLD).png|x50px]]
| rowspan="2" |[[File:FDNY Battalion Chief Sleeve.svg|x50px]]
|-
!Battalion Chief
|[[File:US-O4 insignia.svg|x35px]]
|-
!Captain
| rowspan="2" |[[File:US-O3 insignia.svg|x50px]]
|[[File:FIRE BUGLES - 2 (SILVER).svg|x50px]]
|[[File:FDNY Captain Sleeve.svg|x50px]]
|-
!Associate Inspector L2
|
|
|-
!Lieutenant
| rowspan="2" |[[File:US-O2 insignia.svg|x50px]]
|[[File:FIRE BUGLES - 1 (SILVER).png|x50px]]
|[[File:FDNY Lieutenant Sleeve.svg|x50px]]
|-
!Associate Inspector L1
|
|
|-
!Firefighter
| colspan="3" rowspan="4" |'''''No insignia'''''
|-
!Inspector
|-
!EMT
|-
!Paramedic
|}

Note: In place of bugles, captains and lieutenants assigned to ladder companies are signified by axes, rescue companies by [[Lyle gun]]s, squad companies by crossed ladders and stacked tip nozzles, and marine companies by bugles with an anchor.

==Union representation==
The Department's lieutenants, captains, battalion chiefs, deputy chiefs, medical officers and supervising fire marshals are represented by the [[Uniformed Fire Officers Association]] (UFOA), Firefighters, Fire Marshals, Marine Engineers, Marine Pilots, and Marine Wipers are represented by the [[Uniformed Firefighters Association]] (UFA), and Fire Alarm Dispatchers, Supervising Fire Alarm Dispatchers, and Chief Fire Alarm Dispatchers are represented by the Uniformed Fire Alarm Dispatchers Benevolent Association—all three of which are locals of the [[International Association of Fire Fighters]] (IAFF).<ref name="Fireunion">{{cite web | date = November 7, 2001 | url = http://www.firehouse.com/news/2001/11/4_APwtc.html | title = FDNY Union Leaders Surrender After Protest | author = Donna De La Cruz | publisher = Firehouse.com | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081006084439/http://www.firehouse.com/news/2001/11/4_APwtc.html | archive-date = October 6, 2008 | access-date = December 17, 2015}}</ref> EMTs, Paramedics and Fire Protection Inspectors are represented by the [[Uniformed EMTs, Paramedics & Fire Inspectors]] and EMS Officers are represented by the [[Uniformed EMS Officers Union]], both of which are locals of [[District Council 37]].<ref name="EMSunion">
{{cite web|url=http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/community/emt_medic_faq.shtml|title=EMT and Paramedic Frequently Asked Questions|publisher=New York City Fire Department|access-date=November 30, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071217092500/http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/community/emt_medic_faq.shtml|archive-date=December 17, 2007|url-status=dead}}
</ref>

==In popular culture==
===Literature===
The Fire Department of New York has appeared a number of times within literature. "[[Dennis Smith (firefighter)|Report from Engine Co. 82]]", "20,000 Alarms", and "The Last Men Out: Life on the Edge at Rescue 2 Firehouse" are three of the most famous pieces of FDNY literature.<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Report-Engine-Co-Dennis-Smith/dp/0446675520/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335917595&sr=1-1 Report from Engine Co. 82 (Amazon)]. Retrieved January 5, 2012</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=Vw20P4eiJfoC Life on The Edge at Rescue 2 Firehouse (Google Books)] Accessed:5/1/2012</ref> In addition to memorials, the FDNY has produced a number of educational materials. One of these books is the 177 page "Fire Department of New York- Forcible Entry Reference Guide- Techniques and Procedures".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://static1.squarespace.com/static/58ee5279e3df28ed23d33ebf/58ee6d233f4058d50fe1bea6/58ee6d243f4058d50fe1bf31/1492020516751/fdny_fe.pdf?format=original|title=New York City Fire Department FORCIBLE ENTRY REFERENCE GUIDE TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES}}</ref>

===Film and television===
The New York City Fire Department has also appeared in numerous films and television shows. One of the earliest was the 1972 documentary ''[[Man Alive BBC TV|Man Alive: The Bronx is Burning]]'', for [[BBC]] Television. It was screened in the United Kingdom on September 27, 1972, and followed firefighters from a firehouse in the [[South Bronx]]: Battalion 27, Ladder 31 and Engine 82. It chronicled the appalling conditions the firefighters worked in with roughly one emergency call per hour, and the high rates of arson and malicious calls.<ref name="ManAlive">{{cite web|url=http://catalogue.bbc.co.uk/catalogue/infax/programme/LGF5995N|title=Man Alive: The Bronx is Burning|access-date=November 30, 2007|publisher=BBC}}{{dead link|date=September 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The documentary focused heavily on firefighter [[Dennis Smith (firefighter)|Dennis Smith]], who served in the South Bronx area and went on to write ''Report from Engine Co. 82'' and a number of other books. He has become a prominent speaker on firefighting policy.<ref name="Smith">{{cite web|url=http://www.dennissmith.com/founder.htm|title=DennisSmith.com|access-date=November 30, 2007|publisher=Dennis Smith|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008115202/http://www.dennissmith.com/founder.htm|archive-date=October 8, 2007}}</ref>

[[File:New York Fire Truck HDR.jpg|thumb|right|The Manhattan quarters of FDNY Ladder Company 8, also known as the Ghostbusters' Firehouse]]

In 1984 and 1989, the comedy films ''[[Ghostbusters]]'' and ''[[Ghostbusters II]]'' used a firehouse for external shots of the Ghostbusters' headquarters building.  [[Firehouse, Hook & Ladder Company 8|Ladder Company 8's house]] at 14 [[North Moore Street]] in [[Tribeca]] was reportedly chosen because writer [[Dan Aykroyd]] knew the area and liked the building.  The interior of the Ghostbusters base was shot in a Los Angeles studio, and in [[Fire Station No. 23 (Los Angeles, California)|Fire Station No. 23]], a decommissioned Los Angeles firehouse.<ref name="AV Club 20 July 2011">{{cite news|title=New York: The Ghostbusters firehouse|url=http://www.avclub.com/video/new-york-the-ighostbustersi-firehouse-57353|access-date=December 13, 2015|work=[[The A.V. Club]]|date=July 20, 2011|archive-date=November 24, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131124040411/http://www.avclub.com/video/new-york-the-ighostbustersi-firehouse-57353|url-status=dead}}</ref>  Ladder 8 has the sign from ''Ghostbusters II'' mounted on the wall inside the house; fans of the franchise frequently stop by to take photos of the building and ask to pose with the sign.

In 1991, FDNY firefighter Brian Hickey and his brother Raymond produced a documentary entitled ''Firefighters: Brothers in Battle''.<ref name="FDNYBrothers">{{cite news|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/16478/F-D-N-Y-Brothers-in-Battle/overview|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071210060243/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/16478/F-D-N-Y-Brothers-in-Battle/overview|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 10, 2007|department=Movies & TV Dept.|work=[[The New York Times]]|author=Rose of Sharon Winter|date=2007|title=F.D.N.Y.: Brothers in Battle (1992)|access-date=November 30, 2007}}</ref> The film features footage of fires and rescues throughout the five boroughs of New York City, including the [[Happy Land Fire|Happy Land Social Club]] fire which killed 87 persons, dramatic rescues from a crashed airplane off of La Guardia Airport, and footage and interviews at Medal Day 1991. Raymond died of cancer in 1993 and Brian was killed on 9/11 while operating at the World Trade Center.<ref name="Hickey">
{{cite web|url=http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/memorial/wtc/hickey_brian_cpt_res004.shtml|title=FDNY Captain Brian Hickey|access-date=November 30, 2007|publisher=New York City Fire Department|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071218135933/http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/memorial/wtc/hickey_brian_cpt_res004.shtml|archive-date=December 18, 2007|url-status=dead}}
</ref> Brian last served as the Captain of Rescue Company 4 in Queens.

The 2002 documentary film ''[[9/11 (2002 film)|9/11]]'' is footage of the 9/11 attacks filmed by FDNY [[James Hanlon]], a firefighter from Ladder Co. 1, and brothers [[Jules and Gédéon Naudet]]. It follows members of Engine 7/Ladder 1 and Battalion 1 on Duane Street in Lower Manhattan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0312318/|title=9/11 (2002) TV|access-date=November 30, 2007|work=The Internet Movie Database |date=March 10, 2002}}</ref> The 2005 film ''Brotherhood: Life in the FDNY'', focuses on Squad 252 in Brooklyn, [[New York City Fire Department Rescue Company 1|Rescue 1]] in Manhattan and Rescue 4 in Queens.

The 2002 ''[[Sesame Street]]'' video ''Elmo Visits the Firehouse'' revolves around [[Elmo]] paying a visit to Engine Company 58, Ladder Company 26 of the FDNY to learn all about how firefighters do their jobs and how to "get low and go", after a fire at Hooper's Store scares him.

A 2006 [[PBS]] documentary called ''Taking The Heat'' features the struggle of women to join the FDNY, and [[Brenda Berkman]]'s part in it.<ref name="huffingtonpost">{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/07/brenda-berkman-women-9-11_n_951726.html|title=Brenda Berkman, Former New York City Fire Department Captain, Talks Women At Ground Zero|date=September 7, 2011|publisher=Huffington Post|access-date=May 20, 2012}}</ref>

Television series about FDNY have included ''[[Rescue Me (U.S. TV series)|Rescue Me]]'', which ran from 2004 to 2011 and depicted the fictional life of firefighters in an FDNY firehouse.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.today.com/popculture/denis-leary-plays-fire-rescue-me-wbna14173614|title=Denis Leary plays with fire on 'Rescue Me'|access-date=April 12, 2007|date=August 8, 2006}}</ref> The NBC drama ''[[Third Watch]]'' ran from 1999 to 2005 and provided a fictionalized and dramatized depiction of the firefighters and paramedics of the FDNY and police officers of the [[New York City Police Department]].

In 2015, the [[The Amazing Race 27|twenty-seventh]] season of ''[[The Amazing Race (American TV series)|The Amazing Race]]'' featured a tribute to the FDNY's 150th anniversary.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://allaboutthetea.com/2015/12/12/recap-the-amazing-race-season-27-finale/|title=RECAP: The Amazing Race – The Final Three Teams Hit NYC To Compete For $1 Million Prize [Season 27 Finale]|work=All About The Tea|date=December 12, 2015|access-date=December 13, 2020}}</ref>

The 2019 the semi-autobiographical film ''[[King of Staten Island]]'', directed by and starring [[Pete Davidson]], makes reference to Davidson's father, Staten Island firefighter Scott Matthew Davidson while exploring the impact of his death in the September 11 attacks on his son.

==See also==
{{Portal|New York City}}
* [[Collapse of the World Trade Center]]
* [[Communication during the September 11, 2001 attacks]]
* [[Great Fire of New York (1776)]]
* [[Great Fire of New York (1835)]]
* [[Great Fire of New York (1845)]]
* [[Black Sunday (NYC, FDNY)]] (2005)
* [[List of New York fire departments]]
* [[New York City Fire Department Bureau of EMS]]
* [[New York City Fire Commissioner]]
* [[New York Fire Patrol]]
* [[New York City Fire Department Rescue Company 1]]
* [[New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings]] (OATH), for hearings conducted on certain summonses issued by FDNY
* [[Rossville Fire of 1963]]
* [[Rescue and recovery effort after the September 11, 2001 attacks]]
* [[Waldbaum's supermarket fire]] a 1978 blaze that killed six firefighters.

==References==
{{Reflist|
refs=
<ref name=Fdny2012AnnualReport>{{cite news
 |url          = http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/pdf/publications/annual_reports/2012_annual_report.pdf#page=9
 |title        = FDNY Annual Report 2012
 |publisher    = [[FDNY]]
 |date         = 2012
 |access-date  = June 30, 2015
 |quote        = Additionally, FDNY expects to take delivery of the following 10 boats by January 2013: seven 33-foot boats, two 31-foot medical response boats and one 33-foot SCUBA boat.
 |archive-date = August 17, 2016
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20160817123806/http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/pdf/publications/annual_reports/2012_annual_report.pdf#page=9
 |url-status   = dead
}}</ref>
}}

===References===
{{Refbegin|30em}}
* Boucher, Micheal L.; Urbanowicz, Gary R.; Melhan, Fred B. Jr. (2006). ''The Last Alarm: The History and Tradition of Supreme Sacrifice in the Fire Departments of New York'' M. T. Publishing, Inc., Evansville, Indiana
* Costello, Augustine E. (1887). ''Our Firemen: A History of the New York Fire Departments, Volunteer and Paid''. New York City: Costello
* Daly, Charles P. (1871). ''On the Origin and History of the New York Fire Department.'' New York City: Unknown
* Dunshee, Kenneth H. (1939). ''Enjine!~Enjine!'' Harold Vincent Smith for the Home Insurance Company, New York City
* Dunshee, Kenneth H. (1952) ''As You Pass By'' Hastings House Publishers, New York City
* {{anchor|{{harvid|Griffiths|2007}}}} Griffiths, John L. (2007). ''Fire Department of New York – an Operational Reference.'' New York City: Griffiths.
* Urbanowicz, Gary R. (2002). ''Badges of the Bravest: A Pictorial History of Fire Departments in New York City''. Turner Publishing, Paducah, KY
{{Refend}}

===Further reading===
* {{Cite FDNY locations}}

== External links ==
{{Commons and category|New York City Fire Department|New York City Fire Department}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://rules.cityofnewyork.us/codified-rules?agency=FDNY Fire Department] in the [[Rules of the City of New York]]
* [http://statenisland.pastperfect-online.com/00039cgi/mweb.exe?request=keyword;keyword=fdny;dtypewanted=;dtype=d FDNY objects in the Online Collections Database, Staten Island Historical Society]
* [http://thiscityishauntednyc.blogspot.com/2017/05/manhattan-pre-1865-fire-department.html Pre-1865 Fire Department Company Names and Locations]{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{New York City Fire Department}}
{{New York fire departments}}
{{New York City Government}}
{{New York City}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:New York City Fire Department| ]]
[[Category:1898 establishments in New York City]]
[[Category:Ambulance services in the United States]]
[[Category:Fire departments in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Medical and health organizations based in New York City]]
[[Category:Shorty Award winners]]