Thousands of FDNY Members, Family, and Friends Attend Funeral Service for Deputy Chief Michael J. Fahy
October 1, 2016
On Saturday, October 1, 2016, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro, and thousands of FDNY members, family, and friends attended the funeral service for FDNY Deputy Chief Michael J. Fahy at Annunciation Church in Yonkers, New York.
“He could have been anything he wanted to be. The sky was the limit. But what he wanted more than anything was to be one of us. He wanted to be a New York City Firefighter. Michael saw a job full of fulfillment, a career with days and nights spent helping others, protecting a city, rescuing innocent people from fires and saving their homes and businesses. The fact that he chose this career says so much about his character and his absolute commitment to serving others,” said FDNY Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro at the funeral for Chief Fahy. “While Chiefs are leaders, first and foremost, they are Firefighters–it’s their job to make and keep everyone safe. That’s what Michael was doing on Tuesday morning, overseeing an emergency where his primary goal was to keep civilians safe; and to keep his firefighters safe. He did that. He did it well, and as we know no one else was seriously hurt despite the terrible explosion that occurred. He put himself in harm's way so that others would be protected.”
"On behalf of the entire Fahy family, I wanted to thank all of you—your thoughts, your prayers, your silent expressions of grief have carried us through this agonizing week. The messages from friends and the kind words from total strangers have meant more than you can imagine. For our children, Michael, Anna, and Cormac, the public demonstrations of support for their beloved daddy—these actions were simple forms of proof for my children that New York knows what we have always known, that Mike Fahy was a hero. And this has bought my children some peace... and at times, even a moment of joy. And for that, I am profoundly grateful,” said Fiona Fahy, wife of Chief Fahy at the funeral service.
Get Photos of Funeral Service in Yonkers, New York
Chief Fahy responded Tuesday morning, September 27, 216 along with several fire units to calls reporting a gas odor at the intersection of West 234th Street and Irwin Avenue in the Bronx. Chief Fahy, serving as Incident Commander, ordered fire units to search for the source of the gas odor, and to evacuate possible endangered occupants of homes in the vicinity of the odor. Units determined the gas was emanating from 304 West 234th Street and, at about 7:30 a.m., an explosion occurred on the top floor of the house. Chief Fahy was struck and fatally injured by falling debris. He was transported to New York-Presbyterian-the Allen Hospital where he died from his injuries.
Chief Fahy was appointed as a firefighter in May of 1999 and was assigned to Engine Company 35 in Harlem where he worked for five years before transferring to Ladder 14, located in the same firehouse. In 2004, he was promoted to Lieutenant and was assigned to Battalion 3 in the Bronx, before being assigned to Engine 83 in the South Bronx. Upon his promotion to Captain in 2012, he was transferred to Division 1 in lower Manhattan, where he worked in multiple fire companies. After being promoted to Battalion Chief, he first worked in Battalion 20 in the Bronx before transferring to Battalion 19. Chief Fahny was posthumously promoted to the rank of Deputy Chief–the highest civil service promotional achievement in the FDNY.
Chief Fahy’s father, Thomas J. Fahy, served 33 years in the FDNY before retiring as Battalion Chief in November of 2001.
Fahy is the 1,145th Firefighter to die in the line of duty since the FDNY’s founding in 1865. The last member of the Department to die on duty was Lieutenant Gordan M. Ambelas of Ladder 119 on July 5, 2014.
Chief Fahy, who lived in Yonkers, is survived by his wife, Fiona, and their three children.