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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. Copyright © 2002, Newsday,
Inc.
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