This month, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announced the appointment of Lillian Bonsignore as the next Fire Commissioner of the Fire Department of New York (FDNY).
Bonsignore, a 31-year FDNY veteran and retired EMS chief, will assume leadership of the nation’s largest fire department on January 1, 2026, succeeding outgoing officials during the transition. She will be the second woman and the first openly gay person to serve as FDNY commissioner.
Despite her extensive tenure in EMS, Bonsignore’s selection has sparked intense criticism, particularly around her lack of traditional firefighting experience. Critics say that while EMS is a critical component of the FDNY’s mission, it does not involve hands-on firefighting operations, which many see as central to the role of fire commissioner.
Prominent voices in the debate include Elon Musk, who took to X to warn that “people will die because of this appointment,” arguing that Bonsignore’s lack of firefighting credentials could compromise public safety. Musk emphasized that “proven experience matters when lives are at stake,” a critique that has resonated with conservative commentators and some former firefighters.
Mayor-elect Mamdani has defended his decision, highlighting Bonsignore’s extensive experience and leadership skills while noting that modern public safety leadership demands a broad emergency response expertise, not only traditional firefighting credentials. (RELATED: Chicago Teachers Union Leads Protest Over U.S. Capture of Nicolás Maduro)
Mamdani responded to Musk’s complaint on X stating “Experience does matter.” He also cited the fact that EMS makes up 70% of the calls in New York. What he fails to mention is that New York still deals with tens of thousands of fires every year. In 2023, FDNY responded to over 36,000 structural and non structural fires. Which comes out to just under 100 fires a day, for one year. Typically, FDNY firefighters also accompany paramedics on every run they go one, rarely leaving a med unit alone.
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