FDNY Celebrates Women’s History Month

April 1, 2016

Thursday, March 31, FDNY celebrated Women’s History month at FDNY Headquarters in Brooklyn. National Women's History Month provided the opportunity to formally recognize the contributions of outstanding women among the more than 16,000 uniformed and civilian members of the Fire Department, as well as to acknowledge and thank the entire complement of women who serve this agency.

"Each of these women was selected by their peers for the excellent work they do to recruit new members, train others, insure the health of our members and make certain our Department has the resources needed to respond to more than 1.7 million emergencies," said Commissioner Nigro. "And with role models like those we celebrate and honor today, I know we will continue to see more and more women in important roles here in the FDNY."

Get More Photos From the Ceremony

"When I came here I was searching for a comfortable place to transition and make sense of the part of my life that wasn’t, at that point in time, anything that I was comfortable with. The Recruitment Unit welcomed me with open arms, and over the past 5+ years my work within the Recruitment and Community Affairs Units has expanded," said Firefighter Brooke Guinan, who was honored at the ceremony. "I'm currently the FDNY's first LGBTQ Outreach Coordinator and I feel really lucky as a person that my career has developed in ways which I never could have imagined when I joined the FDNY almost eight years ago."

Also honored during the ceremony was Deputy Assistant Chief Janice Olszewski of the Bureau of EMS. Now in her 29th year serving with EMS, Chief Olszewski started in 1987 as an EMT. Following the 1996 merger of EMS and FDNY, then a Lieutenant, she entered Paramedic training. Promoted in August 2001, she was assigned to EMS Operations in Headquarters. Responding on September 11th, Captain Olszewski narrowly escaped the Towers when she began managing the ambulances arriving to treat the injured. Rising through the ranks, in July 2015 Deputy Assistant Chief Olszewski became the first woman in the FDNY to achieve the two-star rank. Chief Olszewski is a graduate of the Fire Officers Management Institute, the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officers Program and the West Point Counterterrorism Leadership Program. She said, "I love to come to work every day. It's fulfilling and rewarding to serve the public as well as to be working with such great people on one of the best teams in the world. I'm grateful and proud to have chosen my career with the FDNY."

Find Out More About Joining FDNY

The Quality of Work Life Committee selected this year's 7 honorees from an impressive group of nominees, based on their outstanding performance, innovation, and dedication to the work of this agency. This year, the Committee and Department also recognized the 6 female Commissioners presently serving New York City with FDNY, for their extensive careers and devotion to public service.

"Women who are in fire houses, in ambulances, in fire prevention, in training, in headquarters alike, are each and every one of us here first because of our own will but we are even stronger and more awesome when we have the support of one another. And when I say this, I am talking about the men in the room too," said Assistant Commissioner Kat Thomson who served as keynote speaker and was recognized at ceremony. Appointed FDNY Assistant Commissioner of Management Analysis and Planning, Commissioner Thomson has been with FDNY since April 2015. In her 17 years working Wildland Fire Operations, Commissioner Thomson worked on at least 500 wildland and urban interface incidents across Canada, Alaska, Montana, Idaho and Oregon and was the first woman in Canada to hold the position of Spotter on a helicopter rappel crew and the first woman in the province of Alberta to be an Air Attack Officer responsible for leading aerial bombing missions over challenging terrain and fire conditions using various aircraft. Commissioner Thomson is also a certified Division Supervisor, Air Tactical Group Supervisor and Fire Behavior Analyst and serves on the Board of Directors to the International Association of Wildland Fire (IAWF). Commissioner Thomson also holds a Ph.D in education policy and an MPA, both from Columbia University. She added, "While we don't have gender equality in the workplace yet, these women who I am so proud to share this stage with - you are all proof that we will not be looking back."

The honorees represent various aspects of the Department's work, by uniformed and civilian personnel, in bureaus and offices ranging from EMS Training to Support Services, and Technical Services to Public Information.

"My position as Director of Health Services includes serving as FDNY Liaison with the NY Blood Center Marrow Donor Program whereby members of FDNY donate Bone Marrow and Stem Cells to seriously ill patients. The FDNY World Trade Center Health Program was established as a monitoring and surveillance program for FDNY members who were exposed as a result of their work at the WTC tragedy - it allows us to track and monitor the health of our exposed active as well as retired members for late-emerging disease," said Mary T. McLaughlin, Director of Health Services. "I feel honored to work with an organization such as FDNY; we are an extended family - so many great people working toward a common goal - we have a unique perspective at BHS in that we can make a difference in the health and wellness of our membership, and for that, I feel extremely rewarded."

Find Out More About the WTC Health Program

"I really do believe I’ve learned how to be a better person from being surrounded by great role models. I’ve worked a lot with people – uniform and civilian - that just do the right thing, who don’t complain, who are quick to prioritize people, safety and family," said honoree Kristin Eng, Video Program Producer, for the Office of Public Information. Following September 11th, Ms. Eng worked with FEMA providing assistance at the Fire Department Incident Command Post on Duane Street. Beginning her work with FDNY during the recovery operation, she was one of the first civilians assigned to the video unit. Since then, Ms. Eng has: produced and edited countless videos for plaque dedications, funerals and memorials; transcribed the 9/11 radio transmissions for a video shared with family members; and created ceremonial videos. Helping keep FDNY better trained and prepared than ever before, Ms. Eng also shoots and edits training drills, videos on the handie-talkie radios for field members, new tactics and equipment like the Personal Safety System, and educational fire safety public service messages. Ms. Eng added, "It's inspiring and contagious. And they're unwavering commitment to helping people amazes me."