Transcript: Mayor Adams Delivers Remarks At Annual FDNY Memorial Day Ceremony

October 12, 2023

Lieutenant Thomas Carrera, Fire Department: Once again, good morning, everyone. My name is Lieutenant Thomas Carrera, and I'm assigned to Hook and Ladder Company 168 in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, and I am absolutely honored to be the master of ceremonies for this morning's service.

On behalf of Mayor Adams, Fire Commissioner Kavanagh, our Chief of Department Hodgens and other members of the fire department executive staff and union officials, I would like to welcome you all to the annual Fire Department Memorial Service. What an absolutely wonderful way to honor our fallen members on this crisp fall morning. We would also like to thank the FDNY Foundation for their generous support of today's ceremony.

It is now my pleasure to introduce our first speaker, Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh.

Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh: Good morning, and welcome to this very special day. We appreciate that you've gathered with us here at this beautiful monument on Riverside Drive to honor the lives of our fallen members who we have lost in the last year.

Memorial Day, an annual day we mark each year in October, is always a moment for reflection. A lot has happened since we were last here. Our World Trade Center illness deaths now equal those killed on September 11th, 2001. We faced the loss of 12 members in the last year, including two who died in the line of duty: EMS Captain Alison Russo and Firefighter Billy Moon.

Today is a day we stand together in remembrance of all of those who we have lost and in gratitude for the memories and the legacy they left behind. To date, 1,159 members have given their lives in the course of their sworn duty; 343 have died of illnesses related to their time at the World Trade Center rescue and recovery, and it was time that they gave selflessly.

The FDNY is no stranger to loss. Our members sign on to do this job knowing that loss is a possibility given the dangerous work that they do. Today, our hearts are heavy with the weight of those losses, so many members of our FDNY family who we have had to say goodbye to far too soon. These were amazing people, selfless people, people who dedicated their lives to service to the city and to their communities. They took an oath to serve and protect, and they lived that oath every single day of their lives since they were sworn in.

Memorial Day is our most important day when we pay tribute to all of them. We lined the streets in salute. We tell stories. We laugh, we cry. We stand together in support and respect and care for the families of the deceased. And we do this every year so we can remember the very special place our fallen have in our hearts, the courage they needed to come to work every day and the dedication that was always on display for their careers and their families.

As a department 17,000 strong, we offer ourselves to the families as an anchor of love and support. We promise to never forget. We promise to always take care of one another. That promise is renewed today and every day. For the 12 families of those that we have lost who are gathered here today, today we are here for you.

Your loved ones mattered to the FDNY family and they matter to the entire city. We vow to always honor them, to keep their memories alive. The work of the FDNY is truly critical to our city. It saves countless lives. It changes countless lives. Our members wear their uniforms with pride, and they work every day to honor the memory of those who came before them who also wore this great uniform.

Today, I am happy to see so many uniforms lining Riverside Drive. I am happy to see so many of you here today in our time‑honored tradition of respect and remembrance. The memorial here behind me on Riverside Drive has been in place since 1913. It has drawn millions of visitors since, inviting those who stand before it to take in its greatness and appreciate what it represents: the duty and sacrifice and honor of the men and women that it embodies.

It is also the ultimate tribute to resilience, to a department who recovers from unimaginable loss, who rises when others are down, who serves the city in its toughest and darkest of times. This year, we will look at it and we will see each of the 12 members we lost this year. We think of them and their families, and we once again promise to never forget.

We promise to take care of you, to take care of each other, and to keep your loved one's memory alive forever. May God bless the memory of every single FDNY member who has died in the line of duty and the families and friends who live in the light of their legacy. And may God continue to bless the FDNY with the resilience, strength and light in the face of darkness. Thank you.

Lieutenant Carrera: Thank you so much for those beautiful words, Commissioner. Next, we will hear from our Chief of Department, John Hodgens.

Chief of Department John Hodgens, Fire Department: Good morning. Thank you all for being here to pay tribute to the FDNY members lost in this past year. I'd especially like to welcome the families of those we are here to remember. You have shared your loved ones with the city knowing that each day they went to work they were putting themselves in harm's way to protect others.

At our memorial events, I am proud to see the members of this department show up to pay tribute to their fallen brothers and sisters. It reminds me that we truly are a family. Thank you to our firefighters, fire marshals, EMTs, paramedics and fire prevention inspectors, and all of our officers for showing up today and every day.

There is an inscription on this monument, and part of it reads: soldiers in a war that never ends. Those words were put there 110 years ago and still ring true. We respond 24/7, 365 days a year. We are constantly facing new threats, new medical emergencies and new fire and life hazards that endanger life and property in this great city.

We never know when the next emergency will come or the danger we will face, but we do know that we will be ready. We work hard and train hard. We are constantly improving how we operate so that we are ready to overcome any obstacle that comes our way.

Being a first responder is a dangerous job, but the FDNY will always answer the call for help. Our members have been called to countless jobs from towering infernos to acts of terror, from natural disasters to medical emergencies. Through it all, we stand firm, resolute in our duty and unwavering in our commitment. 

The bravery of FDNY members knows no bounds. In the last year, we lost 12 members, two in the line of duty. Billy Moon and Alison Russo were dedicated members of this department. They both spent more than two decades saving the lives of New Yorkers and were committed to helping others, to being good coworkers; and above all, they were brave individuals who answered the call of duty.

We miss them every day as we miss every single member we have gathered here to remember. We are forever grateful to those who have given their lives in service of others. We will never forget them. Thank you, once again, to the families who have joined us today. Your loved ones will always be with us, and we will always continue to honor them. Thank you. May God bless the memories of these 12 members, and may God bless the FDNY. Thank you.

Lieutenant Carrera: Thank you, Chief, for those inspiring words. It is now my pleasure to introduce the Mayor of the great City of New York, The Honorable Eric Adams.

Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you so much, and there's something biblical about the moment as we acknowledge 12 of our fallen heroes. Early this morning, I was notified about two officers who was slashed on the subway system and how first responders immediately came to their aid. And then a few hours later, we received a notification of some form of gas leak up in the Bronx and how first responders immediately were there to ensure that they protect the New Yorkers that they swore to serve and protect.

I think about the early days of being the Mayor of the City of New York in January, of going to the fire in the Bronx where countless number of people lost their lives and were displaced. And standing there with the commissioner and the Chief as we walked through the next day and saw the walls filled with smoke. And firefighters had to crawl along the space to find those who were survivors and the bodies of those that we lost.

And as I came here today, I thought about Captain Russo and Firefighter Moon an the 10 others that we are acknowledging. And thinking about how Fire Captain Russo's daughter is here with her fiancé, and thinking about her mom and seeing that her mom is no longer with us; and, Firefighter Moon with his parents and all that he committed.

There's not much you can say during these periods of times, but words are comforting, and particularly when you come to an acknowledgment to reflect on the year, to be here with the men and women who are your colleagues, and stating that "never forget" is more than a bumper sticker or a slogan, it's an actual presentation as you honor those that we have lost.

And day after day no matter what happened, no matter who's the mayor, no matter who's the president, no matter who's the governor, there's this permanency of the people who consider themselves to be first responders. And there's something special about those who could run towards danger when others run away, something that I know as a police officer, and my younger brother who was a sergeant.

We know what it takes to ensure that this city can sit under the tree of freedom, because these men and women watered that tree with their blood. And I thank you for what you do every day, those who lined Riverside Drive today to acknowledge their fallen colleagues. And I said in the beginning and I'll say it again: there's something biblical about the moment. Those 12 people that we are acknowledging today, they made up what is the best among us all.

May God be with their families. May God be with the FDNY. May God be with the City of New York, and may God bless this country we call America. Thank you very much.

Lieutenant Carrera: Thank you very much, Mr. Mayor. Next, the magnificent and world famous FDNY Emerald Society Pipes and Drums will now play us a beautiful tribute hymn to our fallen members.

[...]

We will now honor the memory of our members lost in the line of duty. This first presentation honors the memory of Captain Alison Russo from Station 49, with a special presentation to her daughter Danielle Fuoco and Alison's brother, Craig. Also attending today, Danielle's fiancé, Kevin Connors and sister‑in‑law Doreen. Captain Russo's parents, Frank and Catherine, are unable to join us today, but absolutely remain in our hearts and prayers. We also welcome several other members of Captain Russo's family and friends today. Thank you for sharing this wonderful day with us.

Captain Russo made the supreme sacrifice on September 29th, 2022 as a result of injuries sustained while on duty at EMS Station 49 in Queens. Captain Alison Russo was appointed to the FDNY on March 23rd, 1998. Ceremonial unit officers will now escort Mayor Adams, Mayor Adams is presenting the fire department flag. Fire Commissioner Kavanagh will be presenting the Medal for Valor, and uniformed EMS officers President Vincent Variale will be presenting the Union Medal of Supreme Sacrifice.

This next presentation honors the memory of Firefighter William Moon, II, from Rescue Company 2 with a special presentation to his wife Christina, his parents, William, Sr., and Patricia, and mother‑in‑law Nancy Rosenberg. We also welcome several other members of Firefighter Moon's family and friends today. Thank you all again for sharing this very special day with us.

Firefighter Moon made the supreme sacrifice on Tuesday, December 20th, 2022 while injuries sustained while on duty at Rescue Company 2. Firefighter Moon was appointed to the FDNY on May 5th, 2002. Mayor Adams is presenting the Fire Department Flag to the family. Fire Commissioner Kavanagh, along with Chief of Department Hodgens, is presenting the Medal for Valor; and, Uniformed Fire Association President Andrew Ansbro is presenting the Union Medal of Supreme Sacrifice.

We will now begin with an necrology. A necrology is a reading of the names of all active members of the fire and EMS services lost to the department within the past year. We honor their memory, and are grateful for all they did while serving as members of this great department.

Monsignor John Delendick, Chaplain, Fire Department: 

Captain Alison Russo, Station 49, September 29, 2022.

Firefighter William Moon, II, Rescue 2, December 20th, 2022.

Firefighter Michael Gebert, Engine 324, September 11th, 2022.

EMS Lieutenant Redwin Mendez, PSAC II, October 30th, 2022.

Firefighter Robert Painter, Ladder 39, November 25th, 2022.

Lieutenant James Corrigan, Engine 291, January 11th, 2023.

Firefighter Anthony Morrow, Ladder 109, January 27th, 2023.

Firefighter Mark Batista, Engine 226, June 9th, 2023.

EMT Kerry Burnett, Station 47, June 10th.

Firefighter Timony Hickey, Engine 91, June 14th, 2023.

Firefighter John Roe, Jr., Engine 21, June 22nd, 2023.

Firefighter John Patrick Morgan, Ladder 80, July 4th, 2023.