Robert Tucker sworn in as new FDNY commissioner
NEW YORK -- Mayor Eric Adams swore in Robert Tucker as the new FDNY commissioner on Monday.
Tucker will oversee a department of 17,000 employees, including firefighters and emergency medical workers, and a $2 billion budget.
Tucker takes over leadership of the department from Laura Kavanagh, who stepped down from the role earlier this month. She was the first woman to ever lead the FDNY.
Who is Robert Tucker?
Tucker, a lawyer, was the chairman and CEO of T&M USA Protection Resources, a private security firm based in New York.
Prior to that, he spent nearly a decade in law enforcement management, serving as a special assistant to the Queens district attorney.
In 2021, Tucker was appointed to Adams' mayoral transition team, working on the Public Safety and Justice Committee.
Tucker, a self-described "fire buff," is on the board of directors of the FDNY Foundation, a nonprofit that supports the department.
"I have been a committed servant to the city of New York, which started here at the FDNY in the summer on 1985 when I was a summer intern," Tucker said. "I've had a long career in the public and private sector and being appointed fire commissioner of the city of New York is the biggest honor of my life."
Tucker tasked with ending discrimination within the FDNY
Tucker's first of several stops after being sworn in was at Engine 71/Ladder 55 in the South Bronx. He brought the firefighters a cheesecake from Junior's. They gave him a t-shirt and a hat.
But it was just minutes into his tour of the firehouse that firefighters began grilling their new boss.
"So what made you take this job?" an officer asked.
"I love this fire department. It's the greatest fire department. It's a great opportunity," Tucker said.
"You jumped right into the big-boy stuff," the officer responded.
"I don't know about that," Tucker replied.
Before the mayor swore in Tucker, he made it clear his mission was, yes, the big-boy stuff.
"He wanted to give back, and I knew what he was inheriting. He was inheriting more than just the flames of burning buildings. We had to put out the flames that are actually burning inside the agency," Adams said.
The mayor was referring to a department that for decades faced problems of racism, sexism and, in some cases, allegations of ageism.
"We have been committed to fighting isms and isms in all our agencies and it's not just the FDNY. It's something we see throughout the entire country," Adams said.
And while he was generous is his praise of Kavanagh, whose reign was sometimes mired in controversy, he alluded to the new mission the mayor has given him.
"While New York City's bravest fight fires inside burning buildings, my job will be to fight fires for them and the city from the outside," Tucker said.
Unions throw their support behind Tucker
"It is great to see that the new commissioner has long and deep ties with the FDNY and a great appreciation for the rank and file of New York City's bravest. From his early start in communications and his hard work and life-long dedication, which led to his appointment to the Board of Directors for the FDNY Foundation, his experience makes him uniquely qualified to understand the changes that could be made to improve efficiency in the department by increasing unit availability, which would lead to a decrease in response times. This would enable the department to better serve the FDNY's mission to protect lives and property in New York City. We wish him luck and success as he assumes the role of commissioner of the FDNY, the greatest fire department in the world," said Andrew Ansbro, president of the FDNY Uniformed Firefighters Association.
"The UFOA looks forward to working with Commissioner Tucker. His long-standing relationship with public services, specifically his work on the board of the FDNY Foundation, gives him an insight into the complexity and culture of the FDNY. His leadership and executive experience in the private sector should enable him to effectively confront the challenges of the FDNY," said FDNY Uniformed Fire Officers Association president James Brosi.