Mayor Bill de Blasio and Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro Announce the Death of Firefighter Christopher A. Slutman

April 9, 2019

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro today announced the death of Firefighter Christopher A. Slutman, 43, of Ladder Company 27 in the South Bronx. Firefighter Slutman, a 15-year veteran of the Department, died as a result of injuries sustained while on active duty in Afghanistan, while serving in the United States Marine Corps on Monday, April 8.

“We are now as a city in mourning once again for a fallen hero, Christopher Slutman, a 15-year veteran of the FDNY and a United States Marine, who died in Afghanistan yesterday while serving his nation, said Mayor de Blasio. “I had the honor of presenting him in 2014 with the Fire Chief’s Association Memorial Medal after he had rescued an unconscious woman from a burning apartment in the South Bronx. This unquestionably is an example of the measure of this man. Christopher Slutman is an American hero, a New York hero, and we mourn his loss today. Our hearts go out to his wife Shannon and his three children. They are in our thoughts and prayers. And we are also providing all the solidarity and support we can to his colleagues at Ladder 27 in the Bronx who are hurting, and to all the members of the FDNY who lost a family member.”

“Firefighter Slutman bravely wore two uniforms and committed his life to public service both as a New York City Firefighter and as a member of the United States Marine Corps,” said Commissioner Nigro. “The hearts and prayers of the entire Department are with his loved ones and with the families of his fellow service members who lost their lives in service to our nation.”

Firefighter Slutman was appointed Firefighter in September of 2003 and assigned to Ladder Company 17 in the South Bronx. In 2015 he transferred to Ladder Company 27, located in the Claremont section of the Bronx. In 2014, he was honored for bravery after rescuing an unconscious woman at a fire in the South Bronx.

Firefighter Slutman is the 1,152nd member of the Department to make the Supreme Sacrifice in the line-of-duty. The last member of the Department to die in the line of duty was Firefighter Steven H. Pollard of Ladder Company 170 in Brooklyn, who died on January 6, 2019.

Firefighter Slutman is the fourth FDNY member to die while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan since U.S. military action commenced in 2003: Firefighter Christian P. Engeldrum of Ladder 61 was killed in November of 2004; and Lt. Christopher J. Raguso of Battalion 50 and Fire Marshal Christopher T. Zanetis were killed in March of 2018.

Currently, 73 FDNY personnel are on extended military orders in branches of the United States Armed Forces, serving around the world. There are 1425 FDNY members who are military reservists or veterans.

Firefighter Slutman is survived by his wife, Shannon, and their three young daughters.

Funeral arrangements are pending.