Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani plans to appoint retired FDNY veteran Lillian Bonsignore as the next commissioner of the Fire Department. According to CBS News, Bonsignore served in the FDNY for 31 years and became the department's first openly gay Chief of EMS in 2019. She is expected to be officially announced at a news conference this afternoon.
When Mamdani takes office on January 1, Bonsignore will begin her tenure as FDNY commissioner, becoming the second woman to hold the position. CBS News reports that outgoing Mayor Eric Adams appointed Mark Guerra as interim fire commissioner, who will serve until Bonsignore assumes the role.
Former FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker resigned following Mamdani's election victory. The New York Post stated that Tucker stepped down the day after the election. The report also indicates that Mamdani’s mayoral win, along with the defeat of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, sparked discussion among some city officials about Mamdani’s policy agenda.
Before retiring, Bonsignore served as chief of EMS Operations from 2019 to 2022, during which she was the highest-ranking officer and the first woman in EMS to achieve a four-star rank. Since her retirement, she has worked as a senior advisor with Cambridge Consulting Group. The New York Post reported that she will succeed Robert Tucker, who resigned last month, highlighting the leadership transition in the FDNY following Mamdani’s election.
With the upcoming official announcement, the FDNY is set to begin a new chapter under Lillian Bonsignore’s leadership, marking a continuation of her long career in the department and a historic milestone in its leadership.
