Hundreds of trainee firefighters were honored at a graduation ceremony in Brooklyn on Friday, with criticized FDNY Chief Laura Kavanagh likely giving her final speech before leaving the department.
“You will impact our city by saving lives and inspiring others,” Kavanagh said, her voice choking with emotion. “You will face difficult days where you hope for better, but there will also be great days when you know you saved a life and made a difference in someone’s life.”
Of the 284 graduates, eight were women and 46 percent were people of color, according to an FDNY press release.
Among the future firefighters was Jessica Chiodo, daughter of firefighter Peter Chiodo, who served with Engine 226 and died from a 9/11-related illness.
Among the graduates was Kenneth Phelan, son of Lt. Kenneth Phelan of the 217th Engine, who died from an illness related to the terrorist attack.
At the Christian Cultural Center in the Canarsie neighborhood of Brooklyn, the graduates, dressed in crisp black uniforms and white gloves, erupted in thunderous applause.
So-called “apprentice” smoke eaters were to be assigned to fire stations across the city.
Kavanagh resigned from her $243,171-a-year job earlier this month amid controversy, with some members of Mayor Adams’ administration questioning her ability to lead the nation’s largest fire department.
“I’m very proud of my accomplishments,” Kavanagh told The Washington Post after the graduation ceremony, adding that salaries have increased in the department’s technical and EMS divisions under his leadership.
“I’m sad to leave. It was the right time. It’s never easy,” she said.
