He Was Fighting Fires Right Up to the End

By Roni Rabin | STAFF WRITER

September 13, 2001

William Feehan, left, after being appointed fire commissioner by Mayor David Dinkins. (Newsday Photo, 1993/Ken Sawchuk)

William M. Feehan, New York City's first deputy fire commissioner, lived to fight fires. A 42-year department veteran, he died Tuesday when the emergency services command center at the World Trade Center collapsed. He was 71 years old-fighting fires to the end.

At one time or another, Feehan held just about every position a firefighter could aspire to, from fireman to lieutenant, captain, deputy chief, chief of operations, fire chief and commissioner, family members said.

"Any call he got in the middle of the night, he would be there," his daughter Tara Davan said. "He always had his gear in the fire department car. He was always ready to go whenever he was asked."

Even when political administrations changed, family members said, Feehan was asked to stay on in another senior-level capacity. After serving as commissioner under Mayor David Dinkins, Feehan agreed to stay on as a first deputy because he wanted to continue to serve, family members said.

Despite his seniority and years of experience, he was always in the thick of things, never standing by the wayside, said his son-in-law, Brian Davan, also a firefighter.

"A friend of his told me about a synagogue fire in midtown a couple of years ago," said Davan. "There was a collapse inside the synagogue and a huge plume of smoke came up, and there was a thunderous roar, and everyone was getting out of the way, and here was Bill, running into the smoke and fire-and he was 70 years old! That was Bill."

Born in Long Island City, Feehan grew up in Jackson Heights, earned a degree in education from St. John's University, and went off to fight in the Korean War.

He married the former Elizabeth Keegan, now deceased, in 1956, and worked as a substitute teacher in the city schools for 10 years, though his real love was the fire department, his children said.

For almost 40 years, the Feehans were residents of Flushing. When he wasn't out fighting blazes, Feehan, a voracious reader with an avid interest in history, enjoyed spending time with his six grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements were incomplete yesterday. Visiting will be held today and tomorrow from 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 10 p.m. at Martin A. Gleason Funeral Home, 149-20 Northern Blvd. in Flushing.

In addition to his daughter Tara, survivors include daughter Elizabeth of Brooklyn, sons William (Billy) of Princeton, N.J., and John of College Point, and six grandchildren. John also is a firefighter.