FDNY promotes 53 firefighters Monday, including 3 who lost family on 9/11

The FDNY promoted 53 firefighters connected Monday, including 3 bequest members who mislaid fathers and brothers during nan 9/11 attacks.

The trio — Thomas Riches, Joseph Jurgens and Christopher Otten — joined scores of New York’s Bravest arsenic they received their caller ranks: 32 firefighters were elevated to lieutenants, and 21 lieutenants were officially made captains.

At a greeting ceremonial astatine nan department’s Randall’s Island academy, New York City Fire Commissioner Robert S. Tucker told nan group that nan “future of nan section depends connected your leadership.”

“Some of you are continuing your family’s legacy. Some of you person carved your ain path, uniquely your own,” Tucker said. “We’re counting connected you to bring your experience, expertise and activity skills to each incident, some successful nan firehouse and connected nan occurrence ground.

“We are counting connected you to negociate and protect nan members who you lead each day. And astir importantly, we are counting connected you to transportation retired nan standards captious to nan lifesaving ngo of our department.”

The time was particularly important for nan 3 whose family members died connected Sept. 11 — including Riches, a newly-promoted skipper who mislaid his oldest brother, Jimmie Jr., during nan violent onslaught connected nan World Trade Center.

“It’s a happy time for nan department, but erstwhile we get promoted, you cognize nan faces that are missing,” Riches said. “We grant them.”

“It’s nan cumulation of a batch of training passim our careers, clip distant from our families — and it’s not conscionable america that do it,” he added. “It’s everyone that pitches successful on nan measurement for our careers.” 

Riches, whose begetter and 2 surviving brothers are retired firefighters, will service arsenic a skipper successful nan 15th Division successful Brooklyn.

On Monday, his dada — retired FDNY Deputy Chief Jimmie Riches Sr. — held nan Bible for him arsenic he took nan oath.

“I felt good,” Riches said astir having his dada connected stage. “I knew he was proud of me, but I cognize he knows what’s missing [in regards to Jimmie Jr.].”

“It’s affectional for me,” added Riches, a dressed up firefighter who received a lifesaving badge successful June for redeeming 3 kids from a occurrence a twelvemonth earlier.

“It’s affectional for him, too.” 

Joseph Jurgens, a caller skipper who mislaid his tribunal serviceman brother, Sgt. Thomas Jurgens, during 9/11, and Christopher Otten, a caller lieutenant who mislaid his dada Michael Otten of Ladder 35 during nan attack, rounded retired those pinch ties to nan heinous crippled that killed astir 3,000.

The onslaught deed nan FDNY peculiarly hard, sidesplitting 343 firefighters that time — pinch astir 370 much dying from 9/11-related unwellness successful nan years afterward.

Otten’s brother, Ladder 127’s Johnathan Otten, held nan Bible arsenic he took his oath.

“As you return this adjacent important measurement successful your career, you proceed to grant their legacies and stay committed and to committedness to ne'er forget,” Chief of Department John Esposito told nan crowd.

“You are leaders successful this section and I expect you to lead towards greatness,” Esposito added.  “Make smart decisions. Protect your group and protect yourself.”