Honors 9/11 Heroes, Says FDNY Is More Prepared Than Ever

0:00 Speaker 1 9-11 weekend. What is today is the fire commissioner, Lillian Bonsignor, and she’s been with the New York City Fire Department forever and 31 years a veteran. And, well, Madam Commissioner, you had a big event last week in Staten Island with the fire department to honor 9-11. Would you tell all of us about it?

0:31 Speaker 2 Yeah, it was a beautiful, beautiful memorial.

0:35 Speaker 3 This is where we came together to.

0:38 Speaker 2 Remember our fallen. It’s the 25th year anniversary, so this was specific to the fire department. We came together with all of our family members of our 9-11 family. fallen and we came together with our active members and our retirees and all our previous leadership and elected officials. And it was really a special place to be on that

1:03 day where we can all just take a moment and reflect on the last 25 years and think about the people we’ve lost, not only on the day of 9-11, but in the year since, in the 25 years since we continue to lose people. That day never really ended for the fire department.

1:24 Speaker 1 It was such a sad event how many people we did lose and continue to lose through various diseases. And, you know, with your 31-year career, you were there. You saw it happen. And there was many, many sad days.

1:42 And to see all the people get sick afterwards and very, very sad. Tell us something that, give us some good news about the fire department you’re running today.

2:00 Speaker 2 You know, the fire department over the last 25 years has reinvented itself. You know, it’s transformed itself into something stronger and bigger and more prepared for any emergency that comes our way.

2:11 Speaker 3 And we continue to do that. We continue to.

2:13 Speaker 2 Adapt and assess where our needs might be arising in our futures. You know, any... additional kind of emergencies that we’re going to be facing, the fire department is ready to go. They’re super strong, very prepared to take on any emergency that comes our way.

2:37 Speaker 1 Well, you know, a 31-year career is a long time, and I guess you’ve experienced it all. Anything else you want to tell all New Yorkers and the American people?

2:49 Speaker 2 I would say that on this 25th anniversary that we just made our way through, you know, it reminds us of all the people that were in our, you know, in our presence along the way. But it also reminds us of the goodness that exists in the world that we have and the friends that we have and the

3:09 people we work with and the love we get to experience and, you know, it brings to mind the reminder that life is just so fragile. You know, those people went to work one day and didn’t come home.

3:24 Speaker 3 So we are just not guaranteed.

3:27 Speaker 2 The next day. So the time that we do have, we should use it in a positive way and try to do good for the world. And just know that the FDNY is always by your side and ready to go.

3:40 Speaker 1 Commissioner Bonsignore, Thank you so much for coming on, and we love the FDNY, and we thank you for everything you do, and God bless you. God bless America. Thank you so much.

3:53 Speaker 3 Thank you, my friend.

3:54 Speaker 2 Thank you for having me.