Robert Byrnes Sworn in as Chief Fire Marshal

Chief Robert Byrnes is sworn in as chief fire marshal by Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta as Chief of Department Salvatore Cassano and Chief Byrnes wife, Maria, look on.

 

Assistant Chief Fire Marshal Robert Byrnes was sworn in as chief fire marshal on June 3, replacing the retiring chief, Louis Garcia.

“Chief Byrnes is an invaluable asset to this Department and a key figure in the Bureau of Fire Investigations,” said Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta during the ceremony at FDNY Headquarters.

Chief Byrnes is a 26-year veteran of the FDNY. He served for eight years as a Firefighter in Brooklyn and Staten Island, and was promoted to fire marshal in 1989.

In 1997, he was awarded the Deputy Commissioner Christine R. Godek Medal for his investigative work on the Firefighter Louis Valentino fatality.

He was promoted to supervisor in 1999 and has worked in every command within the Bureau of Fire Investigation, including the Special Investigations Unit where he was responsible for many high-profile investigations.

In 2001, he was designated as the Commanding Officer of the BFI Special Operations Command, which oversees all of the Bureau of Fire Investigation’s specialized units. There he spearheaded several initiatives that enhanced the day-to-day investigations and streamlined filing of complaint reports.

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Chief Byrnes tracked all lost or stolen Department property and forwarded this information to the Joint Terrorist Task Force. At that time he also served on the Metropolitan Committee for Counter Terrorism.

Chief Byrnes is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. In the fall of 2004, he was selected to attend the FDNY/USMA Combating Terrorism Leadership Program.

“I want to say thank you to the Fire Commissioner and Chief of Department for having confidence in me,” Chief Byrnes said.