New York City Fire Department Appoints Laura Kavanagh as Its First-Ever Female Commissioner

The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) has sworn in a new leader.

On Thursday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams appointed Laura Kavanagh as its new Fire Commissioner.

Kavanagh, 40, previously served as acting commissioner of the FDNY after Daniel Nigro retired in February. She will now be the first female commissioner in the department's 157-year history.

According to a press release from the Office of the Mayor, Kavanagh will oversee the day-to-day administration of the agency's 17,000 employees and its $2 billion budget.

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Kavanagh first joined the FDNY in 2014, and has served the city during the Ebola outbreak of 2015, as well as during the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, she directed the organization's recruitment campaign and assisted in new policy initiatives.

During her swearing-in ceremony on Thursday, Mayor Eric Adams recalled how the search for the city's new fire commissioner began, and expressed that "Laura was going to be part of this administration no matter what."

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"We knew her skill set and we knew her abilities, and I shared with her that I wanted her to be part of our team from the beginning," he added.

Adams, 62, also noted that while the search was underway, Kavanagh became the clear choice for the role, expressing, "I kept coming back to Laura over and over again. Over and over again I just kept coming back to her leadership."

Adams also celebrated Kavanagh's appointment in an Instagram post as well. "This is historic: The first woman to lead the largest Fire Department in this country, and we know she'll continue to make history in the future," he wrote.

Kavanagh, for her part, called her new role "the honor of a lifetime" in a statement.

"For nearly a decade, I have served, learned from and worked on behalf of the New York City Fire Department. I have seen the sacrifices our men and women make, the talent and training they possess, and the bravery they display saving lives and protecting our city," she said. "This is the greatest city in the world and the greatest fire department in the world."

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According to the FDNY, the importance of diversifying its team is a priority. Its most recent firefighter exam consisted of more women applicants than the last two exams combined, and 35 percent of its EMT applicants were women.

The FDNY's total number of female firefighters rose to 134 with its graduating class in March 2022, accounting for the highest number in its history.