FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh to step down, will help city find successor
NEW YORK -- Laura Kavanagh, the first woman to lead New York City's fire department, is planning to step down.
Kavanagh told the mayor's office it was time for her to move on, but she will stay on until a new FDNY commissioner is ready to take the reins, CBS New York's political reporter Marcia Kramer confirmed Saturday.
She is not being "pushed out" of the FDNY, sources said.
Kavanagh released the following statement Saturday:
"New York City will always be the love of my life. My dedication to the FDNY has never and will never waver. It has been the honor of a lifetime to devote the last 10 years — five as first deputy commissioner and more than two as commissioner — to advocating for the men and women of the FDNY. While the decision I have made over the last month has been a hard one, I'm confident that it is time for me to pass the torch to the next leader of the finest Fire Department in the world. I look forward to spending the next several months assisting the department's transition in leadership, before embarking on my next professional challenge. Thank you Mayor Adams for the opportunity you gave me and for your continued support of me and the FDNY."
Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement:
"Throughout her career, Commissioner Kavanagh has been a trailblazer — not only serving as first female Fire commissioner in our city's history but leading the department to new heights. She has helped usher in sweeping improvements to the FDNY's technology infrastructure; increased funding for members' health and safety, including for cancer reduction and mental health counseling; and overhauled how the FDNY recruits and retains members of color, leading to the most diverse Fire Department in our city's history, while simultaneously tripling the number of women serving as firefighters. Commissioner Kavanagh has dedicated her life to keeping New Yorkers safe and while we've made it clear that she could have kept this position for as long as she wanted, we respect her decision to take the next step in her career. We thank her for every minute she has given to running the greatest Fire Department in the world. To be clear, though, nothing changes today. Commissioner Kavanagh still leads New York's Bravest and has agreed to continue to do so until we find an appropriate replacement. Once that person is found, she or he will have big shoes to fill."
Laura Kavanagh's history with the FDNY
Kavanagh joined the FDNY in 2014 and became first deputy commissioner in 2018. She served as interim commissioner when Daniel Nigro retired in 2022 before Mayor Eric Adams ultimately made her the full-time commissioner.
As FDNY commissioner, Kavanagh has led a charge for strong lithium-ion battery safety regulations. According to city data, in 2024, the FDNY has investigated 110 fires linked to lithium-ion batteries that caused 50 injuries and one death.
In July, Kavanagh joined Gov. Kathy Hochul at a bill signing for legislation that prohibits batteries from being sold if they're not up to manufacturing standards. The law also requires special training for first responders and retailers to provide manuals for the batteries.
In January, Kavanagh traveled to Washington, D.C. to push Congress to pass new battery safety standards.