FDNY Engine 265, Ladder 121, Battalion 47 "Best On The Beach"

08/28/2026

Twenty-five years ago, FDNY Probationary Firefighter Michael Gorumba made the Supreme Sacrifice after he suffered a medical episode while operating at a 3-alarm fire at an auto body shop on Aug. 28, 2001, on Staten Island.

Probationary Firefighter Gorumba, of Engine Company 163, was 27 years old and had graduated from the Fire Academy just a month earlier. We will always remember his service to New York City.

08/28/2026

Twenty years ago, two FDNY members made the Supreme Sacrifice while operating at a fire on Walton Avenue in the Bronx.

On Aug. 27, 2006, Lieutenant Howard Carpluk, of Engine Company 42, and Probationary Firefighter Michael Reilly, of Engine Company 75, were operating at a variety store when a portion of the building collapsed, trapping both firefighters in the basement. They were both under the debris for more than an hour.

Firefighter Reilly died shortly before he was located. Lieutenant Carpluk succumbed to his injuries the next day.

Lt. Carpluk was 43 years old and a 20-year veteran of the FDNY. Firefighter Reilly was 25 years old and had served in the U.S. Marines before joining the Department.

We will Never Forget their service and sacrifice.

08/19/2026

Tower operating at the scene of a 10-75 — fire in a multiple dwelling — on Brookhaven Ave., Far Rockaway, Queens, NY. —Aug. 19, 2026.

08/18/2026

We remember two FDNY firefighters who made the Supreme Sacrifice on this day in 2007 in what is now known as the Deutsche Bank Fire.

Nineteen years ago, on Aug. 18, Firefighters Joseph Graffagnino, of Ladder Company 5, and Robert Beddia, of Engine Company 24, became trapped while operating at a fire inside the Deutsche Bank Building located at 130 Liberty Street in Manhattan. The building was under construction at the time of the fire.

Firefighter Graffagnino was posthumously promoted to the rank of lieutenant. We will never forget their service and sacrifice.

07/23/2026

07/23/2026

The members of , , and congratulate Brian Levings and Rory Cahill on their promotion to the rank of lieutenant. The duo will be promoted today at a ceremony in Staten Island, New York. Congratulations, men!

07/06/2026

Never Forget Lt. Gordon “Matthew” Ambelas — 12 Years Later

Twelve years ago today, Lt. Gordon “Matthew” Ambelas of Tower Ladder 119 made the Supreme Sacrifice while searching for trapped civilians during a fire on the 19th floor of 75 Wilson Street in Williamsburg.

Just two months earlier, Lt. Ambelas had been honored for his bravery after rescuing a young child. That heroism was not an exception — it was who he was. A devoted husband, loving father of two daughters, and a true firefighter’s firefighter, his loss is still deeply felt by his family, his FDNY brothers and sisters, and the city he served.

The Supreme Sacrifice means giving your life so that others may live. That is exactly what Lt. Ambelas did, and it is why we will never forget him.

Today and always, we honor his courage, his legacy, and the example he continues to set.

Rest easy, Matt. We will never forget.

07/04/2026

Happy 4th of July from the Uniformed Firefighters Association.

As America celebrates 250 years of independence, we honor the courage, sacrifice, and resilience that built this nation and continue to define it today.

We are proud to serve New York City, proud to stand with our fellow Americans, and grateful for the freedoms we enjoy in the greatest country on earth.

Wishing everyone a safe, proud, and patriotic Independence Day. God Bless America.

07/03/2026