New Leadership for FDNY Announced
In a significant appointment, New York City's incoming mayor Zohran Mamdani has selected Lillian Bonsignore to serve as the next fire commissioner. The announcement was made on Tuesday at Fort Totten in Queens, the location of the FDNY EMS Academy.
Bonsignore, a highly regarded retired EMS chief with over three decades of experience in the department, will become only the second woman to lead the FDNY in this capacity. Her predecessor, Laura Kavanagh, praised her as "one of the strongest leaders I have worked alongside."
Mayor-elect Mamdani emphasized her qualifications, stating, "They deserve a leader who cares about their work because she did it herself, who understands every detail and will fight tirelessly to empower FDNY and make it the best firefighting force in the world."
With a career spanning 31 years before her retirement in 2022, Bonsignore previously held key positions including Chief of EMS Academy at Fort Totten starting in 2016 and Chief of EMS Operations from 2019 to 2020. Known for her straightforward leadership style, she is widely respected within FDNY EMS circles.
Addressing her lack of firefighting background, Bonsignore expressed confidence, saying, "I know the job. I know what the firefighters need, and I can translate that to this administration who's willing to listen. I know what EMS needs, I've been EMS for 30 plus years."
Her appointment also marks a milestone as she will be the FDNY's first openly-gay commissioner. Both Mamdani and Bonsignore agree that EMS should remain integrated within the FDNY structure, with Bonsignore advocating strongly for wage equality between medics and firefighters.
"Well, I am a big supporter of wage parity. I agree EMS should have parity and should have had it for a long time. This is literally a job people cannot live without," she affirmed.
Meanwhile, current Mayor Eric Adams appointed First Deputy Commissioner Mark Guerra as acting fire commissioner during a formal ceremony at Gracie Mansion on Tuesday afternoon. Guerra will serve in this interim role for the next eight days.
Mayor Adams highlighted the continuous nature of emergency response, noting, "They don't go on holiday. They don't stop. They don't pause." He expressed confidence in Guerra's ability to maintain public safety during this transitional period.
