He is just like his father.
A new dad from a family of generations of police officers and firefighters dating back to the Irish potato famine was promoted Friday at a New York Fire Department ceremony along with dozens of other proud firefighters.
Timothy Clark, 41, followed in the footsteps of ancestors who fled the Emerald Isle to become one of New York's bravest firefighters, rising from firefighter to lieutenant at Tower Ladder 12 in Chelsea.
“My great-great-grandfather was one of the first paid firefighters in New York City, so firefighting was kind of a family tradition, a family profession,” Clark told The Washington Post.
“My grandfather was a fireman and my father was a policeman, so we've all been firemen and policemen since the Irish potato famine,” he said, referring to a terrible period in Irish history that saw almost one million deaths between 1845 and 1851.
His pioneer great-great-grandfather, Patrick Conaghan, put out fires “all over Manhattan” starting in the mid-1800s after settling there, he said.
“My middle name is Conaghan, so I was named after him,” he said.[I’m] “Fifth Generation”
He said his new high position was an honour that his late relatives would be proud of.
“It means a lot, it's a big responsibility and it's a big tradition that I carry on with not only my family but the job itself,” he said. “It's an obligation to train and get better and rely on the people around you to make sure everyone goes home and does the right thing.”
Clark has a 13-day-old daughter, but he isn't sure yet whether she will join the police force.
“Right now I'm just trying to get through breastfeeding,” he said.
Clark was promoted along with about 70 other FDNY officers during a ceremony at Ocean Breeze Track and Field in Staten Island.
In total, six employees were promoted to captain, three to supervisory fire chief, 32 to lieutenant and 29 to fire chief.
“Congratulations to all of you,” FDNY Chief Robert Tucker told them, “With your promotions today, you become leaders of the greatest fire department in the world.”
