FDNY Foundation Hosts State of the FDNY Address

On Thursday, February 6, the FDNY Foundation hosted its State of the FDNY address at Mutual of America in New York City, highlighting the incredible work being done to keep New York City safe. From providing cutting-edge training and lifesaving equipment to supporting fire safety education and EMS innovation, the Foundation plays a vital role in the FDNY’s mission.

“As I look out over this room, I can’t help but feel a great deal of pride. Gathered is an incredible group of supporters with one common attribute—an attribute that I share and motivated me a little over a decade ago to get involved with the FDNY Foundation: We love this Department, and we will do anything we can to support the greatest fire department in the world,” FDNY Foundation Chairman Matthew DiLiberto said. “The 17,000 men and women that work for the FDNY—from the firefighters, EMTs and paramedics you see on the street every day, to the thousands of people that work behind the scenes, both uniform and civilian—sacrifice so much for the people who live and work in the city. They do it proudly, and they do it because they love New York City like we all do.”

Mr. DiLiberto spoke about some of the critical, specialized FDNY units that get funding support from the Foundation including: the Fire Safety Education Unit, Mobile CPR Training Unit, Robotics team, K-9 Unit, Incident Management Team, and Counseling Services Unit. Mr. DiLiberto said, “Along with these specialized units, the Foundation provides training and education to the department’s members, supplementing the incredible training that the Department provides at the world famous “Rock”, the FDNY Training Academy on Randall’s Island, as well as the endless training that the members undertake every day at their firehouses and EMS stations. There is no department on earth that is better trained than the FDNY.”

FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker provided a comprehensive overview of the state of the FDNY and the Department’s vision for the future.

“As an agency, the FDNY is strong,” Fire Commissioner Tucker said. “We are stronger, better trained and more ready than ever to handle whatever comes our way.”

In partnership with the FDNY Foundation, the Department trains thousands of New Yorkers in hands-only CPR, visits classrooms to speak with children about fire and life safety and continues to install smoke alarms in New Yorkers’ homes.

“Our members are your neighbors, and that’s why the FDNY spends a lot of time in the community. The relationships we forge matter, and we know in an emergency, the community responds better to the FDNY firefighters, EMTs and paramedics they know,” Fire Commissioner Tucker said. “These relationships are key to our future success. Evolving our culture for the next century of public safety requires we do several things at once, which our members do very well.”

Join us in our mission to keep New York City safe. Donate, volunteer and learn more at FDNYFoundation.org.