By Mary Jane Dittmar, Senior Associate Editor
New York, New York. Fire Department of New York Chief of Department Daniel Nigro will be retiring from the Fire Department of New York on September 9. He has been Chief of Department since September 17. He replaced his friend, Peter Ganci, who was killed at the World Trade Center.
A major consideration in his retirement is the city’s refusal to grant him tenure as chief of department, Nigro told Fire Engineering. “It’s a general policy for the city not to grant tenure,” Nigro added.
Nigro has been a member of the department since he was 21 years old, when he became a member of Engine 21 on East 40th Street in Manhattan.
“I’ve had a great career and am happy to have served and have reached the rank of chief of department,” Nigro said. “I’m going to miss the people-you miss the people. I wish everyone the best. They deserve it.”
Looking toward the future, Nigro said he hopes department members get the support they need to keep providing for the safety of the people. “We’re certainly still in mourning. There’s still a lot of pain,” he noted. “They’ve become soldiers … the country’s first line of defense. Now, I hope they get the support they need to do their job. They’re getting moral support; I hope they get the financial support as well.”
