Overview
- Mayor‑elect Zohran Mamdani has appointed Lillian Bonsignore to lead the FDNY when he takes office on January 1.
- Bonsignore spent 31 years in FDNY Emergency Medical Services, became EMS chief in 2019, and served during 9/11 and the COVID‑19 crisis.
- Her selection would make her the department’s first openly gay commissioner and only the second woman to hold the post.
- Elon Musk condemned the pick on X, writing "People will die because of this," with figures like Sen. Ted Cruz and Nan Hayworth also criticizing her lack of firefighting experience.
- Mamdani defended her qualifications on X, noting EMS handles at least 70% of FDNY calls, and his transition team featured the exchange in a fundraising email; three FDNY unions have endorsed the appointment.