In this episode of EMS One-Stop, Rob Lawrence travels to New York City to sit down with Lillian Bonsignore, the 37th Commissioner of the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY). A 30-plus year veteran who rose through the ranks of EMS — from EMT in the South Bronx to Chief of EMS and now Commissioner — Bonsignore brings a ground-up understanding of the largest fire-EMS system in the United States.
She reflects on stepping into the role as “walking onto a fast-moving train,” immediately confronted with major incidents, severe weather and system pressures, while simultaneously building her leadership team and setting direction for the future.
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The conversation explores the unique structure of FDNY, where the Commissioner operates as the executive leader “almost like CEO of the company,” while operational command sits with the Chief of Department.
Bonsignore is clear-eyed about the scale and demands of the system: over 2.2 million runs annually, with 1.6 million EMS-related, reinforcing her long-held position that EMS must be treated as an essential service with appropriate funding and career pathways.
Drawing on her experience leading through the COVID-19 pandemic and responding on Sept. 11, 2001, she emphasizes resilience, communication and presence — being visible in stations, honest with staff and committed to supporting those who “leave their own families behind to go serve a stranger.”
Bonsignore also addresses criticism of her appointment directly and without hesitation, framing it as a misunderstanding of the Commissioner’s role and the realities of modern emergency response. She underscores that FDNY is both fire and EMS, and that her career — spanning 9/11 response, pandemic leadership and decades of frontline service — positions her to lead the entire enterprise.
Looking ahead, she speaks to the need for infrastructure investment, workforce stabilization, mental health support, and the thoughtful adoption of technologies such as AI and body-worn cameras. As FDNY approaches the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and the nation’s 250th year, her focus remains clear: support the workforce, strengthen the system, and prepare the department for the next generation of service.
Key quotes from Commissioner Bonsignore
- “Walking into a position like this is like walking onto a fast-moving train.”
- “I understand the ground level challenges that go on because I lived them.”
- “The commissioner is the administrative level, almost like CEO of the company.”
- “We’re responding to over 2.2 million runs a year … 1.6 million of those runs are EMS-related runs.”
- “We have to stabilize our system … it’s time that EMS is finally treated as an essential service.”
- “I will always tell you the truth. You may not like my truth, but I will give it to you.”
- “The decision of a first responder is to leave their own families behind … to go serve a stranger.”
- “They are literally your heroes … they will put their lives on the line for you.”
Episode timeline
01:10 – First 100 days as Commissioner — “fast-moving train”
02:30 – Career journey and EMS roots shaping leadership
04:30 – Workforce trust, credibility and lived experience
06:30 – Pay parity and EMS as an essential service
09:00 – Structure of FDNY — Commissioner vs. operational command
11:30 – Setting direction and stabilizing the organization
13:30 – Relationship with the Mayor and political leadership
17:30 – Addressing criticism and misconceptions
19:30 – Leading through COVID — scale, innovation, mutual aid
23:30 – Morale, resilience and leadership presence
26:30 – Recruitment and retention challenges
30:30 – AI and future innovation in EMS
32:30 – Behavioral health response and BeHeard program
36:30 – First responder mental health and support systems
38:30 – Violence against EMS and workforce protection
41:00 – Body-worn cameras and transparency
43:30 – 9/11 reflections and legacy
50:30 – Commemoration planning and future outlook
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