A street co-naming ceremony in honor of 9/11 hero Hilda Vannata in Middle Village.
File photo by Anthony Medina
In a letter sent to the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn on Wednesday, March 18, Council Member Phil Wong requested that outdated green street co-naming signs honoring FDNY, EMS and NYPD members — who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001 — be replaced with modern red and blue markers.
Wong raised the issue with the agency, asking to identify and replace all such signs ahead of the 25th anniversary of 9/11 — a solemn milestone marking 25 years since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
“As we approach the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11, this presents a meaningful opportunity to ensure that the recognition of these heroes reflects the same level of honor and distinction that is afforded today,” Wong said in the letter. “Updating these signs would serve as a powerful and visible tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and to the families and communities that continue to carry their legacy.”
Photo courtesy of the District Office of Council Member Phil Wong
The formal request follows Wong’s questioning of Fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore during a recent Fire and Emergency Management Committee preliminary budget hearing held on Friday, March 13, where the Commissioner voiced support for the effort, according to a press release.
“Today, when a firefighter, EMT or police officer dies in the line of duty or from 9/11-related illness, their street co-naming is marked with a red or blue sign that reflects their service,” Wong said in a statement. “But many of the heroes we lost on Sept. 11 were honored before that became the standard, and their signs remain green. As we approach 25 years, we should correct that. Every one of those heroes deserves to be recognized the same way we honor them today.”
Wong, who represents District 30, pointed to a conversation with one of his constituents, John Vannata, the husband of late EMT hero Hilda Vannata, as the inspiration for the initiative. The street co-naming ceremony held on April 12, 2024 commemorated her selfless legacy in the face of tragedy. Vannata, who succumbed to a 9/11-related illness, was bestowed a red marker in honor of her memory.
After Vannata mentioned the lack of consistency with various street signs etched with names of FDNY, EMS and NYPD members, Wong sought to address it in advance of the quarter-century milestone.
The Council Member’s plan to identify such locations for replacement is in progress, calling it a “fitting and long-overdue tribute” to those who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.