NEW YORK CITY FIRE COMMISSION

Fire Commissioner

The Fire Commissioner, appointed by the Mayor of the City of New York, is
the civilian administrator and head of the Department. The current, and 33rd Fire
Commissioner in the Department's history, is Daniel A. Nigro. Commissioner
Nigro was appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2014.

Mission & Values

As first responders to fires, public safety and medical emergencies,

disasters and terrorist acts, FDNY protects the lives and property of New York
City residents and visitors. The Department advances public safety through its
fire prevention, investigation and education programs. The timely delivery of
these services enables the FDNY to make significant contributions to the safety
of New York City and homeland security efforts.

SERVICE
The Department continues its unwavering call to protect and serve.

BRAVERY
Courage is the foundation of our character. Bravery is the ability to
overcome fear through fortitude, instinct, compassion for others and
training.

SAFETY
We strive to keep our citizens reasonably free from danger, especially
deliberate, harmful acts. With the best equipment and training, the
Department can reduce the risk to the public and its members at fires,
emergencies and medical incidents.

HONOR
The enormous commitment necessary to perform the Department's tasks
requires excellence of character. We inspire each other through pride in
our unit, which is a belief that every action reflects on all the members of
the unit, both past and present.

DEDICATION
A commitment to the objectives of our mission is an essential part of our

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 code of conduct. The faithful observance of duty calls for us to fulfill our
obligations professionally and honestly.

EQUITY
The Department is committed to equitable recruiting and service delivery.
The Department fosters a diverse workforce of qualified individuals from all
communities; who are proud to maintain its long tradition of responding to
all who request assistance, without consideration to race, creed, nationality
or religion.

PREPAREDNESS
By combining all of the components of our core values, the FDNY will
maintain its constant state of readiness to meet all threats and challenges,
traditional and new.

Organization

The Fire Department is comprised of multiple bureaus, units and

commands that work daily to achieve the Department's lifesaving mission.

History

The origins of the Fire Department of New York City date back to 1648, but
it wasnt until 1865 that the modern-day FDNY first was established with the
creation of the Metropolitan Fire Department (M.F.D.). The first professional unit,
Engine Company Number 1, went into service on July 31,1865, at four Centre
Street in Manhattan. The first ladder trucks were pulled by two horses and
carried wooden portable ladders in sizes up to 73 feet. The first reference to the
nomenclature F-D-N-Y was made in 1870 after the Department became a
municipally controlled organization. The reorganized Department changed
leadership, titles of rank and even its name. All usage of M.F.D. was removed
and the lettering on all apparatus was changed to the now-familiar F.D.N.Y.

Around the same time, origins of the Departments Emergency Medical

Service began to take shape with horse-drawn ambulances dispatched by
telegraph from Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan.

On January 1, 1898, the Greater City of New York was formed with the
FDNY now overseeing all fire services in the newly formed boroughs of

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Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. A new charter
accompanied the reorganization of the City. The Board of Fire Commissioners, in
place since 1865, was replaced by a single Commissioner.

Reference: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/fdny/index.page

CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK

Board of Fire Commissioners

Meetings

Regular meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 4:00
p.m. at Central Fire Station, 310 West Green Street, Ithaca, NY 14850.

Agendas & Minutes

Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available

following approval.

Overview & Duties

The Board of Fire Commissioners has jurisdiction over the management of

all apparatus, fire alarm systems, equipment, appliances, supplies, and buildings
belonging to the Ithaca Fire Department. They have the authority to organize
new companies and to disband any Department company, subject to the
approval of the Common Council; to admit new members and to transfer
members, upon application and certification of company officers, from one
company to another; and to try, reprimand, suspend or expel any member or
officer of any company for cause.

They authorize and direct the payment of bills and accounts incurred by
the Fire Department and work with the Fire Chief to prepare the annual
departmental budget. They act as trustees of all moneys now constituting the
Active Firemen's Relief Fund, together with 1/2 of all moneys that may hereafter
be received by the City of Ithaca as a Fire Department tax on premiums on

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policies of foreign and alien fire insurance companies pursuant to 9104 and
9105 of the Insurance Law (except the amount payable under the provisions of
such law to the Firemen's Association of the State of New York), together with
any other moneys, gifts or property whatsoever acquired for relief or benefit
purposes, to be accumulated as a relief fund for sick, indigent or disabled fire
fighters, with power to draw upon such fund for temporary relief and benefits
only, as said Board shall determine. They have full power and authority to invest
such funds in any investments legal for trust funds under the laws of the State of
New York.

More information on the Board of Fire Commissioners

Members:
William D. Gilligan, Chair
Term expires: June 30, 2017

Robert Sparks, Vice Chair

Term expires: June 30, 2017

Thomas Hoard
Term expires: June 30, 2018

John Guttridge
Term expires: June 30, 2018

Lawrence Sallinger
Term expires: June 30, 2019

Rob Gearhart, Common Council Liaison

Reference: http://www.cityofithaca.org/367/Board-of-Fire-Commissioners

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Source: The New York State Senate

Section 174. Fire district officers. 1. Whenever a fire district shall be

established, within ten days thereafter the town board of the town in which such
district is located or, in the case of a district including territory in two or more
towns, the town boards of such towns acting jointly by a majority vote of the
members of each of such town boards, shall appoint five fire district
commissioners and a treasurer for such district who shall hold their respective
offices until the thirty-first day of December next succeeding; provided, however,
that if such district be established subsequent to the first day of October in any
year, the officers so appointed by the town board shall hold office until the thirty-
first day of December of the next succeeding calendar year. A person so
appointed as fire district commissioner shall not serve as chief or assistant chief
of the fire district fire department after taking his oath of office as such
commissioner and during the time he serves as such commissioner pursuant to
such appointment. The town clerk shall immediately notify the appointees of their
appointment and of the time and place which he shall fix for the organization
meeting of the board of fire commissioners, which meeting shall be held not later
than ten days after the appointment of said officers. At such organization
meeting, the treasurer shall preside until such time as a chairman of the board of
fire commissioners shall be chosen, but such treasurer shall not be entitled to a
vote at such meeting. The board of fire commissioners shall appoint a secretary
who shall hold office until the thirty-first day of December following the first
election of fire district officers.

2. The first election of fire district officers shall be held on the second Tuesday in
December next succeeding the establishment or consolidation of such fire
district; provided, however, that if such district be established at a time
subsequent to the first day of October in any year, the first election of fire district
officers shall be held on the second Tuesday in the month of December of the
next succeeding calendar year. At the first annual election of fire district officers,
five district commissioners shall be elected and a treasurer. The person receiving
the greatest number of votes for the office of fire commissioner shall be elected
for a term of five years; the person receiving the second highest number of votes
shall be elected for a term of four years; the person receiving the third highest
number of votes shall be elected for a term of three years; the person receiving
the fourth highest number of votes shall be elected for a term of two years and

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the person receiving the fifth highest number of votes shall be elected for a term
of one year. In the event that two persons shall receive the same number of
votes the terms of office shall be decided by lot. At each subsequent election of
fire district officers a commissioner shall be elected for the full term of five years.
In the event that two or more persons receive the same number of votes thereat,
a special election between the tying parties receiving the highest number of votes
to fill the vacancy shall be held within forty-five days after such election. The fire
district treasurer shall be elected for a term of three years. The fire district
secretary shall be appointed by the fire district commissioners and shall serve for
a period of one year. The fire district secretary in office at the time such election
is held shall immediately notify the officers elected of their election and that an
organization meeting will be held on the day specified in said notice, which shall
not be later than the fifteenth day of January next ensuing. At such organization
meeting, the treasurer shall preside until such time as a chairman of the board of
fire commissioners shall be chosen, but such treasurer shall not be entitled to a
vote at such meeting.

2-a. The fire district commissioners may adopt a resolution establishing the office
of director of purchasing and appoint a director of purchasing who shall serve for
a term, not to exceed five years, to be fixed by the fire district commissioners. If
the fire district commissioners so determine, the duties of the director of
purchasing may be combined with the duties of any other fire district officer or
employee except members of the board of fire district commissioners and the fire
district treasurer. The fire commissioners of any fire district in which the office of
director of purchasing shall have been established may adopt a resolution
abolishing such office, and upon the expiration of the term of office of the
incumbent or such other time as may be set forth in the resolution, such office
shall be abolished and no successor shall be appointed.

3. The fire district commissioners shall receive no compensation for their

services, but a commissioner acting as secretary of the fire district may be
compensated. The fire district secretary shall receive such compensation as the
fire district commissioners may determine, but if the secretary be a member of
the board of fire commissioners his compensation shall be fixed by the other
members of the board. The fire district treasurer and the director of purchasing,
when such office has been established, shall receive such compensation as the
fire district commissioners may determine. Each fire district treasurer, each

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secretary in fire districts having a separate secretary, and each director of
purchasing, when such office has been established, shall before entering upon
the duties of his office take the constitutional oath of office and file the same with
the town clerk of the town or one of the towns in which such fire district is
located. The treasurer of each fire district shall before entering upon the duties of
his office, execute and file with the town clerk of the town or one of the towns in
which such fire district is located, an official undertaking, conditioned for the
faithful performance of his duties and that he will and truly keep, pay over and
account for all moneys of the fire district coming into his hands as treasurer of the
fire district. The undertaking shall be in such form, in such sum and with such
sureties as the fire commissioners shall direct and approve and such approval
shall be indicated upon such undertaking. The fire commissioners of any fire
district may require the director of purchasing, when such office has been
established, before entering upon the duties of that office, to execute and file with
the town clerk of the town or one of the towns in which such fire district is
located, an undertaking, conditioned for the faithful performance of his duties and
for a due accounting of all property that may come under his care, custody and
control. Such undertaking shall be in such form, in such sum and with such
sureties as the fire commissioners shall direct and approve and such approval
shall be indicated upon such undertaking.

4. The fire district treasurer or any commissioner of the fire district, whenever so
appointed, may also act as fire district secretary. When the position of fire district
treasurer or fire district secretary is appointive, and in the case of the director of
purchasing, when such office has been established, and if no qualified resident of
the district is willing to perform the duties of fire district treasurer, fire district
secretary or director of purchasing, a person who is a nonresident of such fire
district may be appointed as fire district treasurer, fire district secretary or director
of purchasing. A person shall not hold the offices of fire district commissioner and
fire district treasurer at the same time. A person shall not hold the office of fire
district commissioner and the office of chief or assistant chief of the fire
department of the fire district at the same time.

Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, a person who is a fire

district commissioner, may, if he is otherwise qualified, be a candidate for
nomination, and may be nominated by the fire district fire department, for the
office of chief or any assistant chief of the fire department, but only if such

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commissioner has filed with the fire district secretary at least five days, but not
more than ten days, before the meeting of the fire department at which any such
nomination would be made a written notice that he will be a candidate for such
nomination. If a fire district commissioner is a candidate for nomination for any
such office in the fire department and he is duly nominated for such office at a
meeting of the fire department, he shall forthwith cease to be a fire district
commissioner and his office as such commissioner shall thereupon become
vacant. If a fire district commissioner is a candidate for nomination for any such
office in the fire department and he is defeated for such nomination at the
meeting of the fire department, he shall not participate in any vote of the board of
fire commissioners in relation to the appointment of the successful nominee to
the office for which such commissioner and such successful nominee were
opposing candidates.

Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, a person who is the

chief or an assistant chief of the fire district fire department, if he is otherwise
qualified, may be elected to the office of fire district commissioner or may be
appointed to the office of fire district commissioner to fill a vacancy and, if he is
so elected or appointed, his office as chief or assistant chief, as the case maybe,
shall become vacant upon his taking his oath of office as fire district
commissioner.

5. A person who has been convicted of arson in any degree shall not be eligible
for nomination, election or appointment to the office of fire district commissioner
or fire district officer.

6. Each commissioner of a fire district before entering upon the duties of his
office, shall take the constitutional oath of office and file the same with the town
clerk of the town or one of the towns in which such fire district is located.

7. A fire district is a political subdivision of the state and a district corporation

within the meaning of section three of the general corporation law. The officers
and employees of a fire district, including the paid and volunteer members of the
fire department thereof, are officers and employees of such fire district and are
not officers or employees of any other political subdivision.

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Section 175. Election of fire district officers. 1. An annual election shall be
held in each fire district on the second Tuesday in December, except that in the
Ocean Bay Park fire district, the Lonelyville fire district, the Davis Park fire
district, the Cherry Grove fire district, the Fair Harbor fire district and the Fire
Island Pines fire district, Suffolk county, such annual election shall be held on the
second Tuesday in July, except that in the town of Salisbury, Herkimer county,
such annual election shall be held on the Tuesday next succeeding the first
Monday in November from six o'clock in the morning until nine o'clock in the
evening and except that in the Belfast fire district, Allegany county, such annual
election shall be held on the first Tuesday in December. The board of fire
commissioners shall give notice thereof by the publication of a notice once in one
or more newspapers having a general circulation in the district. The first
publication of such notice shall be not less than twenty-seven days and not more
than thirty-four days prior to the date of such election. Such notice shall specify
the time when and the place where such election will be held, the officers to be
elected thereat and their terms of office, and the hours during which the polls will
be open for the receipt of ballots. The secretary of such fire district shall prepare
the ballots for all elections of fire district officers and the polls shall remain open
for the receipt thereof at all elections of fire district officers from six o'clock in the
evening until nine o'clock in the evening and such additional consecutive hours
prior thereto as the board of fire commissioners of such district may have
determined and specified in the notice thereof. The board of fire commissioners
shall designate a resident fire district elector, who shall be a registered voter of
the town, to act as chairman of any election of said district and shall designate
not less than two nor more than four resident fire district electors, who shall be
registered voters of the town to act as election inspectors and ballot clerks at
such elections. No elective officer of the fire district shall serve as such chairman
or as an election inspector or ballot clerk. The board of fire commissioners may
adopt a resolution providing that such chairman, election inspectors and ballot
clerks shall be paid for their respective services at any such annual election or at
any special election of the fire district. Such resolution, if adopted, shall fix the
amount of such compensation, as follows: if the hours during which the polls will
be open for the receipt of ballots are from six o'clock in the evening until nine
o'clock in the evening, a sum not to exceed thirty-five dollars for each such
official; if additional consecutive hours prior to six o'clock in the evening are
determined and specified in the notice of election, a sum not to exceed fifty
dollars for each such official.

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2. Every elector of the town who shall be a registered voter and who shall have
resided in the district for the period of thirty days next preceding any election of
fire district officers shall be qualified to vote for such officers. Every elector of the
town who shall be a registered voter and who shall have resided in the fire district
for the period of thirty days next preceding any election at which a proposition
shall be submitted, shall be qualified to vote upon such proposition.

3. Every fire district commissioner, treasurer and secretary must at the time of his
election or appointment and throughout his term of office be a resident of such
fire district. Membership in a volunteer fire company shall not disqualify any such
fire district commissioner, treasurer or secretary. A person who has been
convicted of arson in any degree shall not be eligible for election or appointment
to the office of fire district commissioner, treasurer or secretary. Any fire district
commissioner, treasurer or secretary who is convicted of arson in any degree
during his term of office shall be disqualified from completing such term of office.

4. There shall be conspicuously placed, by the resident fire elector, distance

markers at a distance of one hundred feet from the polling place. Such distance
markers shall be so placed at least one-half hour before the opening of the polls
and shall remain until such polls are closed. The one hundred foot distance shall
be deemed to include a one hundred foot radial measured from the entrances,
designated by the resident fire elector, to a building where such election is being
held. While the polls are open no person shall do any electioneering within the
polling place, or in any public street within the one hundred foot radial, or within
such distance in any place in a public manner. No electioneering banner, button,
poster or placard on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate or issue to be
voted upon shall be allowed in or upon the polling place or within such one
hundred feet therefrom during the election. Any person who willfully violates the
provisions of this subdivision shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

5. All official ballots shall remain in the custody of election inspectors within the
polling place from the opening of the polls until the announcement of the result of
the canvass and the signing of the inspectors' returns thereof. After the polls shall
have been closed at any election held for the election of fire district officers or to
vote upon a proposition, the election inspectors and ballot clerks shall
immediately canvass publicly the ballots cast and the chairman of the election
shall publicly announce the result. Within seventy-two hours thereafter, the

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chairman, election inspectors and ballot clerks shall execute and file a certificate
of the result of the canvass with the board of fire commissioners and with the
town clerk of each town in which said district or any part thereof may be located.

6. If in any fire district the number of voters is so great as to render it inexpedient

or impossible to conduct the election at one polling place, the board of fire
commissioners may divide the fire district into election districts and provide a
polling place for each such election district, provided, however, that the number
of election districts in any fire district shall not exceed one for each six hundred
electors plus one for a remaining fraction of six hundred. In such event, the
notice specified in subdivision one of this section shall describe the election
districts and state where the polling places will be located, and the board of fire
commissioners shall designate not less than two nor more than four resident fire
district electors, who shall be registered voters of the town, to act as election
inspectors and ballot clerks at each such polling place. The board of fire district
commissioners may adopt a resolution providing that such election inspectors
and ballot clerks shall be paid for their respective services at any such annual
election or at any special election of the fire district. Such resolution, if adopted,
shall fix the amount of such compensation as follows: if the hours during which
the polls will be open for the receipt of ballots are from six o'clock in the evening
until nine o'clock in the evening, a sum not to exceed thirty-five dollars for each
such official; if additional consecutive hours prior to six o'clock in the evening are
determined and specified in the notice of election, a sum not to exceed fifty
dollars for each such official. No elective officer of the fire district shall serve as
an election inspector or ballot clerk.

Section 176-c. Removal of fire commissioners. Any fire commissioner may be

removed for dereliction of duty. Dereliction of duty shall include, but not be limited
to, excessive unexcused absences from regularly scheduled meetings. These
criteria for removal are in addition to the criteria provided in section thirty-six of
the public officers law. Any removal pursuant to this section shall take place
pursuant to the procedure for removal established in section thirty-six of the
public officers law.

Section 176-e. Training requirements for fire commissioners. Each fire

commissioner shall attend and successfully complete a commissioner-specific
state-approved training course within two hundred seventy days of the taking of

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such office. The course will contain training related to legal, fiduciary, financial,
procurement, and ethical responsibilities and such other disciplines as may be
prescribed by the state comptroller. Such course shall be prescribed and certified
in rules promulgated by the state comptroller. The manner, frequency, and
duration of such course shall be established by such rules. Course materials
should be made available upon request. When approved by the board of fire
commissioners in advance of a commissioner attending such training course, the
actual and necessary expenses incurred by a commissioner in successfully
completing the training required by this section shall be a charge against the fire
district.

Reference: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/TWN/A11

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