FDNY Hosts Women's History Month Ceremony

April 13, 2018

On Friday, April 13th, FDNY hosted its 6th Annual Women’s History Month Awards Ceremony at FDNY Headquarters in Brooklyn. The annual ceremony highlights the growing number of women joining the Department and their great contributions.

The ceremony was originally scheduled to take place in March during Women’s History Month, but was rescheduled to allow members to attend the Celebration of Life for FDNY Fire Marshal and US Air Force Major Christopher “Tripp” Zanetis.

“I’m proud to say that today we see more women in leadership positions than ever before, and I’m extremely lucky to have such an outstanding group of women helping to run this agency,” said Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro. “That’s why this event is so important, because women’s history is our history and now, nearly four decades since women first entered our ranks, it is a history ingrained in the fabric of our Department, one which continues to grow as new women begin to bravely serve this city.”

The Committee selected this year’s 8 honorees from an impressive group of women who were nominated by their peers for their outstanding performance, innovation, and dedication to the work of the Department. These women represent various aspects of the Department’s work, uniformed and civilian.

Award recipients included EMT Khadijah Hall, a 26-year FDNY veteran who ran into gunfire several years ago while off-duty to administer aide to a police officer who had been shot, Terry Woods, a project manager on PSAC 2, where millions of 911 calls are handled each year, and Dominique Joseph from Bureau of Health Services, who serves our members battling cancer and by raising funds through Fired Up for a Cure.
“I would see ambulances driving by and I wanted to know what was happening and be a part of something bigger than myself, I got into the Department and that was history,” said FDNY EMT Khadijah Hall, Major Emergency Response Vehicle Operator. “At the end of the day, it is all about helping people. New Yorkers call for help and we are the ones that are there for them.”

“It was a stroke of luck when I found the FDNY - I never realized that there could be a place for me in this Department. My work here means a lot to me,” said FDNY Community Coordinator Dominique Joseph, Bureau of Health Services. “Unfortunately, it seems like everyone today has been touched by cancer in some way. It’s rare to have a job where you can see the impact that you have on people every single day. Being able to take care of first responders who put their lives on the line every day is a true honor.”

“Each year when we gather for this event, we honor several women who contribute so much to what makes the FDNY so special – civilians and uniformed members always make a difference in our Department and for our city,” said Chief of Department James E. Leonard. “We are so lucky to have extraordinary women out on the front lines in firehouses and EMS Stations every day risking their lives to keep this city safe.”