Mamdani appoints Lillian Bonsignore to lead FDNY

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will announce Tuesday that former emergency medical services chief Lillian Bonsignore will lead the New York City Fire Department as commissioner. Bonsignore will be the second woman to lead FDNY, and the first uniformed woman to lead the department.

Bonsignore, a longtime EMT, became the first woman to lead the department’s EMS bureau in 2019. She led EMS through the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the department saw record demand as the virus swept through the city. Mamdani emphasized that experience in a statement on Tuesday shared with City & State in advance of a public announcement.

“Bonsignore’s calm, decisive leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic – when EMS professionals were more vital than ever – is exactly the kind of leadership our city needs in moments of uncertainty,” Mamdani said.

Her appointment will be seen as a commitment to raising the pay of EMT’s, who have long lobbied for pay parity with other first responders. Bonsignore is coming out of retirement to join Mamdani’s administration after stepping down in 2022.




https://www.cityandstateny.com/personality/2025/12/mamdani-appoints-lillian-bonsignore-lead-fdny/410370/?oref=csny-homepage-river