Hochul honors 53 NY Firefighters at Fallen Firefighters Memorial Ceremony – Saratogian

ALBANY, N.Y. – Gov. Kathy Hochul honored 53 fallen firefighters at the 29th Annual New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial Ceremony at the Empire State Convention Center in Albany.

The memorial honors New York’s 2,871 firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty, paying tribute to them as well as thousands of firefighters across the state who continue to serve and protect their communities.

Hochul also issued two proclamations to honor New York State’s career and volunteer firefighters. The first proclamation declares October 6, 2026, as Firefighter Appreciation Day and the other declares the week of October 4-10, 2026, as Fire Prevention Week in New York State.

“For almost three decades we have come together to honor those who served New Yorkers until the end – our hearts are with these firefighters, their loved ones and the communities they called home,” Hochul said. “They made the ultimate sacrifice by putting the safety of their neighbors ahead of their own and we are eternally grateful for their service.”

As part of the 2025 State of the State, Hochul announced new legislation to ban the sale of firefighter gear containing emerging contaminant per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances in New York State.

“I’ll continue making sure our firefighters and first responders have all the equipment and resources they need to protect themselves while they work to protect their communities,” Hochul said at the time.

The fallen firefighters added to the wall this year include:

David E. Bennett, South Glens Falls Fire DepartmentPatrick D. Brady, Fire Department of the City of New YorkJoseph Brosi, Fire Department of the City of New YorkJohn J. Brown, Fire Department of the City of New YorkJeffrey E. Campion, Yonkers Fire DepartmentMichael A. Carter, Fire Department of the City of New YorkEdward J. Ciocca, White Plains Fire DepartmentAaron M. Clark, Fire Department of the City of New YorkAnthony W. Colavito, Yonkers Fire DepartmentMichael A. DeBenedetto, Fire Department of the City of New YorkThomas del Pino,  Fire Department of the City of New YorkThomas L. Dunn, Fire Department of the City of New YorkRichard H. Eifler, Yonkers Fire DepartmentJohn J. Fasciglione, Yonkers Fire DepartmentBrian T. Fitzgerald, Fire Department of the City of New YorkJames W. Gallaher, Lincoln Volunteer Fire DepartmentWilliam H. Groat, Albany Fire DepartmentPieter C. Grosbeck, Fire Department of the City of New YorkPeter S. Guyett, Yonkers Fire DepartmentJames F. Hartnett, Fire Department of the City of New YorkEugene T. Kelty, Jr., Fire Department of the City of New YorkKamran A. Khan, Fire Department of the City of New YorkCliff C. Krug, Fire Department of the City of New YorkGerard R. Lennon, Fire Department of the City of New YorkJohn G. McCann, Fire Department of the City of New YorkDaniel J. McCauley, Fire Department of the City of New YorkVincent C. McMahon, Jr., Fire Department of the City of New YorkDaniel G. Newman, Fire Department of the City of New YorkRobert S. Okorn, Fire Department of the City of New YorkScott W. Pavlick, Binghamton Fire DepartmentJohn V. Peteani, Jr., Yonkers Fire DepartmentThomas Pomplin, Piermont Fire DepartmentKevin T. Reilly, Fire Department of the City of New YorkJack Rein, Fallsburg Fire DepartmentMichael J. Reutter, Fire Department of the City of New YorkChristopher J. Revere, Fire Department of the City of New YorkJames J. Riches, Fire Department of the City of New YorkEduardo A. Rivera, Yonkers Fire DepartmentJohn M. Rodriguez, Yonkers Fire DepartmentMichael J. Ryan, Phoenicia Fire DepartmentRandall A. Shampoe, Jr., Clymer Volunteer Fire DepartmentFrederick S. Simms,  Fire Department of the City of New YorkRonald J. Smeller, Jr., Ellicott Creek Volunteer Fire CompanyJohn J. Smillie, Lynbrook Fire DepartmentEdwin J. Steffens, Fire Department of the City of New YorkJames T. Sweeney, Fire Department of the City of New YorkThomas P. Tracy, Fire Department of the City of New YorkNeill S. Tyndal, Jr., Yonkers Fire DepartmentWilliam C. VanName, Fire Department of the City of New YorkRoger F. Vitolo, Yonkers Fire DepartmentJohn H. Wensley, Freeport Fire DepartmentRobert V. West, Jr., Fire Department of the City of New YorkTimothy G. Westhall, Fire Department of the City of New York

“Few vocations are as taxing and impose as much on an individual, family and friends as the fire service does,” Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Terry O’Leary said. “Today, we honor 53 brave firefighters who answered the call to serve as a way of life — let us never forget who they were and the sacrifices they made. May the State’s Fallen Firefighters Memorial continue to serve as a permanent symbol of their heroism.”