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FDNY acknowledges meritorious acts at 157th Medal Day

June 3, 2026


The FDNY held its 157th Medal Day Ceremony on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at City Hall Plaza in Manhattan, honoring the lifesaving actions by its members during incidents throughout the previous calendar year. The ceremony, which dates back to 1869, is one of the Department's most time-honored traditions.

"Today's medals represent far more than much-deserved recognition. They are a symbol of 8.5 million New Yorkers' gratitude," said Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani. "So, on behalf of every New Yorker, those who've homes you've saved, whose families you kept whole, and those who sleep soundly at night knowing that if they ever needed you, you'd be there."

"In the FDNY, there is never a dull moment. Responding to fires and medical emergencies is what we do every single day, every single tour," said Fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore. "When the call comes in, we head out. No matter what time, no matter what location. No matter what threat looms ahead. That's why days like today are so incredible. Because we take a moment to take stock of the truly hair-raising, remarkable, and heroic responses that we know, and you know, you will always remember for the rest of your career."

"Each medal represents a moment where our members stepped up to the plate. And, although they would probably say this is all part of the job, we really know it's a lot more than that," said Chief of Department John Esposito.

The 2026 top medal recipients for incidents that occurred in 2025 were given to the following FDNY members:

Lieutenant Patrick T. Donlon, of Engine Company 75, was honored with the Chief of Department Peter J. Ganci Jr. Medal and NYS Honorary Fire Chiefs Association Medal—the top fire operations medal—for locating and removing an unconscious victim from a burning building in the Bronx.

Paramedic Naytasha Doyle and now-Probationary Firefighter Paul Saladis III, who were previously partners at Station 44, were honored with the Christopher J. Prescott Medal—the top EMS operations medal for providing life-saving treatment to a critically injured victim in Brooklyn.

Read through the 2026 FDNY Medal Day Book for a full list of this year's medal recipients, as well as the stories that detail their bravery, at the link below.

RELATED LINKS

157th FDNY Medal Day