Transcript: Mayor de Blasio, Commissioner Nigro Deliver Remarks at FDNY Medal Day Ceremony

June 7, 2017

Mayor Bill de Blasio: Good morning, everyone. This is a day of celebration, and it’s a day of appreciation. And it was very striking to me a moment ago when Reverend Kansfield asked these good men and these good women who had saved lives to simply raise their hands, and you saw the modesty and humility. People who had done something so glorious, so extraordinary, and yet were shy, if you will, about claiming that glory – that makes the glory even greater. That these individuals put their lives on the line, saved lives, as the Reverend said, “allowed those future generations to live.” They’re not taking out a billboard to celebrate themselves. They’re modest. They believe it’s part of the job, it’s part of what they were put on this Earth here to do. That’s something that makes all of us so proud of everyone who will be awarded today and of all of the men and women of the FDNY. That commitment that is so pure, so real, so intense, it doesn’t require fame to reinforce it or validate it. It’s in the hearts of these good men and women. That is something to celebrate, don’t you think?

[Applause]

I want to thank all of the leadership of the FDNY that is present, Commissioner Nigro, and Chief Leonard – all of the leadership here. I also want to thank, those who represent the men and women of this department, who represent them in labor and look out for their interest every day – Gerard Fitzgerald of the UFA; Oren Barzilay of the Uniform EMT’s Paramedics and Fire Inspectors; Vinny Variale, of the UEMSO; John Sullivan of Superior Officers and Faye Smith of the Fire Alarm Dispatchers. We thank all of them for their leadership. I also want to welcome our Public Advocate Tish James, and thank her for her support.

This is the 148th year that we gather for Medal Day. There is no one alive on this earth who remembers the first Medal Day. This is a tradition that goes back generations and generations. And what’s so extraordinary is, there have always been good people who answered the call of duty and were worthy of these medals. A century-and-a-half of unbroken tradition, and now a new generation has come forward, and they prove no matter what the glories of the past. This new generation is doing things even far beyond the imagination of those who came before them. 

We honor today and celebrate their achievements, and we also reflect on those we’ve lost, their heroic acts, and their sacrifice. And it’s been a tough year, we lost Chief Michael Fahy who served for 17 years, and was such an outstanding leader in this department and bound for even greater leadership. We lost Yadira Arroyo, who served for 14 years, and showed us spunk and determination and all she did. We lost William Tolley, who served for 14 years and was beloved by those he served with. And, we lost someone who we laid to rest, just days ago, but whose ideas and spirit and inspiration are going to live on for a long, long time. I am talking about firefighter Ray Pfeifer. 

Ray Pfeifer reminds all of us why we commit ourselves to helping others, and I know he has a particularly inspirational impact on the men and women of this department. It’s not just what Ray did in the months after 9/11 in the rescue and recovery. It’s not just that he suffered for all he tried to do to help others and particularly to search for his falling comrades. It’s that despite the pain that he suffered constantly, he went to Washington D.C. to make sure that no one else would be deprived of the health care and the support they deserve. And he led the charge, even when confined to a wheelchair he led the charge, he led by example, his strength and personality, his commitment – literally he wheeled that extension of the Zadroga bill into action. And he showed us something that we all need to remember in our everyday lives, when you try to do good for other people, don’t take no for an answer, don’t let anyone tell you something is impossible. Ray never thought it was impossible. And what a blessing that he lived long enough to see the victory that he was the author of. 

Now, looking to this department today, 2016 was an extraordinary year for the FDNY – the largest decrease ever in serious fires, and fire-related deaths. Again, this generation of the FDNY, doing things that are so extraordinary, setting records for saving lives. It is about their skill and their dedication, it’s about the quality their training, it’s about their leadership. Well, this department gets better all the time. And, today, we get to honor 62 individuals who did things that are just plain heroic. There is no other word for them, defying danger, achieving against all the odds. 

It’s a very good day for New York City. We get to celebrate these good people. And each one of them has a powerful story, each one of them is so worthy of this award. But I have to highlight one, because it is so, almost impossible to believe, and I had the great pleasure of spending time with individual in the aftermath of this extraordinary rescue. I am referring to Firefighter James P. Lee Jr, of Rescue 1. I want to recount for you, I think a lot of people here know the story, but it’s worth remembering. Last October – six-alarm blaze at an apartment building in the Upper East Side, an elderly man in his 80’s trapped on the top floor, nowhere to go but out the window. No chance of survival if he stayed in the apartment or most likely no chance of survival if he jumped. And only seconds left, and that’s when firefighter Lee, decided to do something very risky, but very necessary. A rope rescue, he couldn’t even see through the smoke, he found his way to the elderly man, by following his screams and he pulled him out, repelled down to the side of the building. Saved the man, and seconds later the rope burned through. It’s almost an impossible story, it’s something they couldn’t even make up in Hollywood, but it actually happened. And the old man said, when he was asked afterwards, what he felt in those last seconds. He thought he was about to die, and then he said, “it seemed like an angel emerged from the smoke.” That angel my friends was Jimmy Lee. Congratulations, Jimmy.

[Applause]

So, I’ll conclude with a thanks. Congratulations to all the honorees, but a thanks to all the men and women who serve us. This is a day that everyone celebrates together, and 8.5 million people are reminded on this day, that we in this city, we couldn’t do anything without you, and what you do you do so well. 

Thank you, and God bless you all.

[…]

Commissioner Daniel Nigro, FDNY: Well, good morning and congratulations to all of the men and women whose brave actions we honor today and a very special welcome to the two families hear with us. First the loved ones of our honorees whose support make their difficult work possible, and to our FDNY family – the firefighters, paramedics, EMTs, fire marshals, and officers who have mentored, trained, and worked alongside our medal recipients as they performed the outstanding heroic work we honor today.

Today, we celebrate New York’s Bravest. That name has been synonymous with our department for as long as anyone can remember and for good reason. The reputation of bravery has been gained through unwavering dedication and service to the millions of people who live in our city and to all those who come here each day to visit and work. And that reputation has been earned through the sacrifice of 1,147 of the greatest people to ever wear to FDNY uniform, including Deputy Chief Michael Fahy, Emergency Medical Technician Yadira Arroyo, and Firefighter William Tolley.

Bravery is displayed day in and day out by our members. The job they perform is dangerous. The training they receive is second to none. And the responsibility each FDNY member takes on when they respond to the thousands of calls they receive each day is enormous. A fire, a medical emergency, a patient trapped in a confined space, stuck high above the city streets or fighting to survive in the water – no matter the situation, when New Yorkers call for our help FDNY members respond quickly and with one goal – to save lives.

On this day, we gather and honor the most remarkable of those lifesaving rescues – acts of valor which represent the very greatest traditions of our department. We honor Firefighter James P Lee Jr. of Rescue Company 1, recipient of the James Gordon Bennett Medal and New York State Honorary Fire Chiefs Association Medal for his daring roof rope rescue described a moment ago by our mayor. But nothing happens in the FDNY without strong teamwork, which is why we also award medals to Firefighter Andrew Hawkins of Ladder 43 and Firefighter William McGarry of Ladder 26 for their critical roles in this rescue. And while our members respond to countless calls they have prepared for, they often find themselves in situations they never imagined like EMT Ryan Gref of Station 4. Ryan subdued a knife wielding individual who was attempting to stab another person, and for his bravery he receives the Christopher J. Prescott Medal. Ryan is one of several EMS members who brave actions went well beyond providing medical care. We honor EMT Monique Wilson of Station 43 with the Chief James Scullion Medal for saving a drowning person during a severe storm of Coney Island, and Lieutenant Craig C. Roeder of Station 45 with the Ulysses Grant Medal for evacuating a family from a fire in their home. Truly bravery comes in many forms in our department including removing a dangerous arsonist from the streets as fire Marshall Peter Lindell Jr. did. Peter receives the Deputy Commissioner Christine R. Godek Medal for his outstanding work. And we see the extraordinary dedication to saving others that defines our department in the recipient of the World Trade Center Memorial Medal – Ladder Company 28 for their tireless efforts to rescue four people from a high rise fire that had filled multiple floors with smoke.

I am extremely proud of each of you for your remarkable acts of bravery. You have all gone above and beyond to keep our citizens safe. Thank you for your dedication, for your preparedness, and for your commitment to this department and to the department’s lifesaving mission. And thank you for ensuring the FDNY continues to be the best it can be – the greatest fire department in the world.

Thank you.