FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker welcomes first class of 2025 probationary firefighters to the Department's ranks

May 14, 2025

The FDNY welcomed its first class of 2025 probationary firefighters at a graduation ceremony on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn. 

"Today, we celebrate all of you and welcome you, officially, into the FDNY family," FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker said. "In the last 18 weeks, you have learned the basics of firefighting that will serve as the foundation of your careers. It is these skills you will fall back on years from now—skills that will be sharpened and refined with time and experience. You will recall these days not as the hardest of your lives, but as the best."

Chief of Department John Esposito said: "The FDNY is more than 150 years old. Over that time, much has changed: We have new technology, new tools, new rigs, and we respond to very different fires and emergencies than we did 150 years ago. But one thing that has not changed are the values of this Department. What remains constant across generations is the bravery, the discipline, and the dedication of our members. That is what defines the FDNY—not just what we do, but how we do it and why we do it. I believe we are the greatest fire department in the world. That's our standard, and it’s yours now, too."

Over the course of 18 weeks at the Fire Academy, the probies trained in all aspects of firefighting, including fire suppression and medical response, hazardous materials, collapse and confined space rescues, auto extrication, building inspections and procedures for engine and ladder operations. 

The probationary firefighters will be assigned to firehouses throughout New York City, where they will gain field experience under the guidance of senior firefighters and officers.