June 6, 2019Mayor Bill de Blasio: Thank you, Chief Guerra. It is a real amazing thought to recognize that the FDNY gave its very first award, the James Gordon Bennett Medal in 1869. In 1869 our fire trucks were pulled by horses, in 1869 the great hero of the Civil War, General Ulysses S. Grant was President of the United States. That’s how far back the extraordinary tradition of the FDNY goes. But you know, you could think that’s a long time ago and things must have been very different but you know what’s exactly the same is the heroism, the bravery, the professionalism, the commitment that makes the members of the FDNY so great, so admired all over this country, all over this world. Today, we get to recognize some of the heroes who did some of the most amazing things and we get to thank them and we get to thank all of you, their family members.And I always like to recognize that everyone who serves our city, everyone who serves our nation is able to do it because of the love and support of their family. So would you do me a favor everyone, let’s support and let’s thank all the family members for all they do.[Applause]I want to thank our Commissioner, Dan Nigro, our Chief of Department, John Sudnik, and First Deputy Commissioner Laura Kavanagh for their leadership, all the leadership of the FDNY present for all you do. I want to thank the union leadership as well for all you do on behalf of the people who do such important work for all of us. So that phrase we use, New York’s Bravest, that title was earned – it’s not overstated, it’s not made up, it was earned. It was earned in the searing heat of countless fires and today we honor 67 good New Yorkers, 67 members of the FDNY who have earned that title and then some.I want to talk about the award recipients today but first we must remember two heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice this year. Firefighter Steven Pollard of Ladder 170, was the 1,151st member of the FDNY to fall in the line of duty. He saw a man in a crumpled SUV along a highway. He rushed across two highways to save him, lost his life in that effort to be there for someone in need. We miss him and we remember him. And Firefighter Christopher Slutman, Ladder 27, the 1,152nd member of the FDNY to fall in the line of duty. At this very ceremony in 2014 I had the great honor of awarding the Fire Chiefs Association Memorial Medal to Firefighter Slutman. No idea at that moment what we would know five years later that we would lose him in the service of his nation. Because he wore two uniforms, he was not only a 15-year veteran of the FDNY, he was also a staff sergeant in the US Marine Corp Reserve and he fell protecting all of us in Afghanistan. And we miss him and we will always be there for his family.Their legacy of selfless courage is carried on by the members of the FDNY today and these 67 recipients exemplify that same tradition, that same commitment. Each one of them honored today showed strength, showed courage, showed quick thinking, showed bravery in the face of extraordinary odds, each one has an amazing story, but I only want to offer two examples. Lieutenant Patrick T. Mataraza III, of Ladder 56 is being honored for his heroic actions in saving three lives, faced with a room filled with deadly heat and smoke and people trapped behind a door, he took three attempts to try and get past the flames, he finally broke through and managed to save everyone. Today Lieutenant Mataraza will receive FDNY’s highest honor for firefighters the James Gordon Bennett Medal. Let’s congratulate him and his family.[Applause]That same selflessness was displayed by Paramedic Jacqueline Benel, of Station 14. While transporting a patient she heard a cry of help, ‘There’s a fire.’ She didn’t hesitate, she turned back into the danger. She banged on the door of every apartment in the building, she found an elderly man choking on the smoke, and she walked him down six flights of stairs to safety. Thanks to Paramedic Benel, no one was injured that day. Today she receives EMS’s highest honor, the Christopher J. Prescott Medal. Let’s thank Paramedic Benel.[Applause]And I’ll conclude with this. Every one of the stories you are about to hear are amazing, are something we can admire, something we can look up to. I said it yesterday at the ceremony for the Police Department and I want to say it today at the ceremony for the Fire Department, in our nation we look for heroes, we go to the movies looking for heroes, we turn on our favorite sporting event looking for heroes, but if you want to find some genuine heroes, look right here ladies and gentleman, they are right here in front of you.[Applause]And the last thing I want to say is borrowed from some of our great faith traditions all over the world, a simple, ancient idea that’s just as powerful today and it is this – whoever saves a life, saves the world, whoever steps forward to save one human being creates that moment on behalf of all of humanity. And I want to say this representing all 8.6 million New Yorkers – I want to thank all of these honorees from the bottom of my heart because each day you have worked to save the world, you have shown us how it’s done, you have given us hope. God bless you all. To the medal recipients, to the families, to the whole FDNY – God bless you. God bless New York City and God bless America.[Applause]Battalion Chief Mark Guerra, FDNY: Thank you, Mayor. Next we will hear from our Fire Commissioner, Dan Nigro.[Applause]Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro: Good morning and congratulations to all the men and women whose bravery we celebrate today, and a very special welcome to the extended FDNY family here with us. To the parents, wives, husbands, children, and many more loved ones of our honorees – your love and your support made their difficult work possible. We are thrilled to have you all with us here on this special day. And a big thank you and welcome to all of the firefighters, paramedics, EMTs, and fire marshals here today showing their support. You have been right here with our medal recipients every day of their careers including the many difficult incidents we honor them for today.Our honorees traveled a long road to reach this moment. The journey began when they made the choice to dedicate their lives to saving others. That’s not an easy decision. It requires courage and true dedication to earn the right to wear the uniform of the FDNY.From there they completed rigorous training – the best in the world. They learned to fight fires, save people, and provide expert medical care. That training continued well beyond the academy with veteran mentors and officers in firehouses and EMS stations who taught them on every tour.Our job demands that every day in the FDNY you work hard to be better than you were the day before. All of this training, this unwavering commitment it culminated in the moments we celebrate today, times when the lives of their fellow New Yorkers hung in the balance, and they rose to the occasion.Look no further than Gordon Bennett Medal recipient Lieutenant Patrick Mataraza of Ladder 56. His incredible efforts to repeatedly enter a raging fire in the Bronx saved three lives including the life of a young child. Or the dedication demonstrated by Paramedic Jacqueline Benel of Station 14, recipient of the Christopher J. Prescott Medal, who was already treating one patient on a medical call and then entered a smoke-filled top floor of an apartment building to rescue another person from a growing fire.The many stories of bravery we’ll hear very shortly prove something I’ve known for my entire career – the commitment of FDNY members is nothing short of extraordinary. In fact, one of our recipients, Paramedic Jonathan Rivera of Station 20, is honored twice today – once for his expert medical care of a patient struck and pinned under a cargo train and another time for locating, treating, and helping extricate a fellow first responder trapped up to his chest in mud. That is an incredible commitment to saving lives.And when it comes to saving lives among our honorees this year, no one was more prolific than the members of Ladder 161 in Coney Island. They rescued seven people from a fire including two children and three adults confined to wheelchairs. Their outstanding teamwork and acts of valor are why they are receiving our World Trade Center Memorial Medal.All of our honorees displayed true bravery when they were called to act. They represented the greatest traditions of our beloved department. To all of our members here today, know how much you mean to this great city, know that your bravery is inspiring and that millions of New Yorkers are relying on you to keep them safe.And to our medal recipients, know that we are immensely proud of you for your accomplishments and for your steadfast commitment to our lifesaving mission. Thank you for ensuring that the FDNY continues to be the best it can be – the greatest fire department in the world. Thank you.[Applause]