FDNY Elevates Officers to Fill Jobs of the Fallen

By Herbert Lowe | STAFF WRITER

September 17, 2001

The Fire Department yesterday promoted 173 firefighters in an effort - both necessary and symbolic - to shore up its decimated leadership ranks.

At a ceremony hastily organized in the wake of last week's attack on the World Trade Center, Fire Commissioner Thomas Von Essen told those promoted that they must help organize the ongoing rescue effort as well as protect life and property citywide.

"We need leadership, we need structure and we need you out in the field as fast as possible," said Von Essen, whose department lost as many as 300 members, including several high-ranking officials, in the attack.

Deputy Mayor Joe Lhota said officials believe that members of the fire command were lost when the second tower collapsed. City officials earlier had said the fire commanders were lost in the first building collapse.

Five men who were up for promotions but who died in the attack or are missing were elevated in absentia. The department also released a list yesterday of 27 firefighters confirmed dead, including five top officials.

With 400 people looking on near the department's headquarters in Brooklyn, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani compared New York's firefighters to U.S. sailors lost at Pearl Harbor.

"I want you to know that the prayers of every single New Yorker - I believe every single American - are with you," the mayor said. "Your willingness to go forward undaunted in the most difficult of circumstances is an inspiration to all of us."

Von Essen and the mayor swore in a chief of department, a chief of operations, two assistant chiefs, five deputy chiefs, 31 battalion chiefs, 63 captains and 70 lieutenants.

"You are being promoted today to provide the leadership necessary to continue," said Daniel A. Nigro, who himself was promoted from chief of operations to chief of department. He replaced Peter J. Ganci Jr., who was killed while helping save lives after the attack.

"It's not easy to get off the mat after such a blow," Nigro added. "But the Fire Department has gotten up."

Giuliani said Nigro oversaw the merger of the Emergency Medical Service into the Fire Department.

"He's a great leader, he's a person of vision," the mayor said. "He has tremendous talent for taking control of very, very difficult situations."

Salvatore J. Cassano was promoted from assistant chief to Nigro's old position.

Those promoted in absentia included Charles Kasper, from battalion chief to deputy chief; James Amato and Thomas Haskell, both from captain to battalion chief; and Vernon Richards and John Fischer, both from lieutenant to captain, respectively.

Francis Gribbon, a department spokesman, said after the ceremony that everyone promoted had passed the required civil-service test.

The next test, for lieutenants aiming to become captains, was scheduled for next month but has been postponed indefinitely, Gribbon said.

Like others about to get their next assignments, Terence Walsh, 38, a new captain who had been a lieutenant at Engine 259 in Long Island City, was in no mood to celebrate.

"It's a horrible way of getting promoted," said Walsh, who had arrived at the World Trade Center just before the second explosion. "It wouldn't have been today. It would have been months from now, probably."

Staff writer Dan Janison contributed to this story.